A Time of Alliance, Tested
by Gexican
Summary: Two years have passed since the Collapse of Soul Society. Finally Enkimura has been found in the Human World and Yuki, Chou, and Akuma answer the call to action. What plot could Enkimura have after coming out of hiding. What changes can we expect from a world left broken? [Sequel to A Time of Peace, Interrupted]
1. Chapter 1

**This IS A SEQUEL! If you have not read the original story, please go and read A Time of Peace, Interrupted. I will be writing this as if the reader is fully aware of who my characters are and their motivations from the original story. This story is picking up two years after the previous one ended. As always enjoy and leave me some feedback! **

* * *

"Straighten your legs! Don't be so stiff! Enunciate for crying out loud!"

A small boy fell to his knees, "Sensei! Can't we stop? We've been training for hours now!"

The teacher folded her arms and sighed, "You should all be able to use more difficult kidou by now. You've been practicing hard, but not nearly enough…"

A girl plopped on the ground, "Not all of us are kidou genius's sensei…"

The boy grinned, "Sensei, will you pleeeeeease tell us the rest of the story?!"

The teacher smiled, "You mean about Aizen Yuki?"

Several of the students nodded and mumbled in agreement, "Yea please, please sensei?"

The teacher sighed and sat down on the floor next to her fifteen young students, "Where did I leave off?"

One child raised her hand, "You had just entered Soul Society to find everything in ruin!"

"No she was past that already!" a boy whipped his head to the girl, "She stopped right when Aizen-sama was stabbed by Yammamoto!" Several kids mumbled in agreement.

The teacher nodded, "Well, Yuki couldn't fight at her full strength…" the teacher pulled the children along through the story that had come to be known as "The Collapse".

"I knew that I recognized that name! Shirou Enkimura has a kill-on-sight bounty on him!" the boy interjected, "I saw his picture in the faculty room one day!" some of the kids 'ooh'd' at the boys knowledge.

A small girl spoke up from the back of the group, "What happened after? If he's still alive, does that mean he got away?"

The teacher nodded, "He was able to escape to the human world by eating his vice-captain," she grabbed the student closest to her and playfully munched on his arm. The children giggled before she continued, "And two years later they are still looking for him,"

"You aren't anymore?" the students turned their heads questioningly.

The teacher turned her head to look out the window, "No, not anymore,"

There was a knock at the door of the gym, "Come in!" the students all called together.

The door slid open to reveal the King of Soul Society. Kyourane Chou had grown three centimeters over the two years (not that she bragged about it every chance she got), her bangs had grown out and the ribbon that once held the base of her hair had been replaced with a metal, wired, cylinder. Her zanpaktou was now hidden by her haori that read, "1".

The children rushed over to her and started all to talk and ask her questions. Chou smiled down at the children, "Do you kids know why I have come here?" they all shook their heads, "I'm here to test your kidou skills," their faces all fell, "You all have 10 minutes to go practice outside before I come evaluate," she smiled at the kids. They all scrambled over each other to get outside and practice. Closing the door behind the last of the kids, Chou turned to their teacher, "It's been a while, Shima Akuma,"

Akuma sighed and stood, "What brings you to the Shinigami Academy?"

Chou's face turned serious, "We've found him,"

One Week Earlier

Chou was doing paperwork. She hated paperwork and there was so much of it to be done. Chou let out a frustrated sigh and leaned back in her chair. Her mind was heavy with responsibility. Not only was she the King, but she was the Sou-taicho now too. _Things sure have changed since then…_How true a thought.

Soul Society had changed. There were only seven squads now. Four of those squads are spread all over the human world searching for any trace of Enkimura. _How has he alluded us so flawlessly? _

She glanced at a paper on her deck, "Permission to change shinigami squad in Karakura Town from 6th squad to 7th squad" Chou mumbled to herself. _That will probably by good, Renji could use a break from the search…_she stamped her approval on the document and let out another sigh before jumping up in her seat, "Come on Chou, only 400 more to go!"

7th Squad

Rangiku was running through the building with a paper in her hand, "Taicho!" she rammed through the door with a wide grin, "Taicho, the orders just came in. We got permission to relieve Abarai-taicho,"

Hitsugaya turned from the window to his vice-captain, "You stay here Masumoto, I'll lead a small group,"

Rangiku nodded before closing the door behind her.

Hitsugaya turned back to the window, he had been given the burden of the squad that had once belonged to the enemy. Their morale had been low at the loss of so many of their comrades. Soul Society had lost half of their shinigami during the Collapse. But things were turning around. Things were getting better. The academy was filled with hopeful students, there was peace between Hueco Mundo and Soul Society. At the mere thought of her home, Hitsugaya brought his hand to the piece of cloth he had wrapped around his head, _Yuki. _His mind flashed back to just after the Collapse. Yuki had left for Hueco Mundo, Grimmjow had taken her. He felt defeated, his home in ruins. Searching through the rubble of the 10th squad building he found Yuki's 5th squad haori. It was burnt and ripped around the edges, but it was still intact. He felt his anger swell in a feeble attempt to mask his sadness. He had lost her, there was no getting her back. Hitsugaya ripped apart the haori letting the shreds fall to the ground. He took a step forward and saw that a piece of the haori against his ankle. He reached down to grab it and realized that even if Yuki was gone, the memory of her was still there. He didn't think he could forget about her so easily. He held the scrap tightly in his hand.

It was a memory that he thought of daily. He wore the scrap on his head, but why? Out of respect? Out of a need to hold on to something? He didn't know. He felt pathetic for holding on to it, but he couldn't bring himself to part with it either. He shook his head of the heavy thoughts of Yuki, he was going to bring Enkimura to her. And when he stood before her victorious, he would beg for forgiveness. He didn't deserve her forgiveness, but he needed to show that he did regret. He regretted a lot of things lately.

Two Days Later: Karakura Town

Hitsugaya had been searching non-stop for Enkimura. He separated from his small squad almost immediately to coming to the human world. He had given them their orders and made sure to keep part of his mind focused on their reiatsu. Hitsugaya didn't understand why he was drawn here. For the past few weeks he had been having uneasy feelings about Karakura Town. He knew that Enkimura was here somewhere hiding. Hitsugaya made his way to the Vizard's. He didn't want to find help with them, but ever since Yuki became something like an Empress, the Vizards were recruited into the effort. _Perhaps they found something out…_

Something was wrong.

Hitsugaya stood in front of the warehouse that the vizards had turned into a base. Usually there was a barrier up, but it was gone. Feeling uneasy, Hitsugaya drew his sword as he walked into the warehouse, "Hirak-" Hitsugaya dropped to his knees at the sight before him. All of the vizards with Hirako Shinji laid dead, their souls had been eaten. He covered his mouth with his hand as his body threatened to throw up the contents of his stomach.

After a few moments to regain his composure he called his squad and told them to come to the Vizard warehouse. He would need their help. He stood outside the door awaiting their arrival.

"How disappointing," Hitsugaya drew his sword at the sound of Enkimura's voice, "and here I hoped my present would be found by more worthy eyes,"

Hitsugaya took a step back at the sight. _What a monst- _Hitsugaya's world went black. It was all so fast that he didn't even see Enkimura punch his face into the ground.

Soul Society: The Next Day

Chou was taking a nap in her desk; the paperwork had become too much for her to do alone. She was suddenly jolted awake by the phone, "Hello?" she rubbed her eyes, "Slow down Rangiku-san.." she jumped up from her seat, "WHAT?!"

5th Squad: The New Technology and Research

"Explain it again!" Renji, the new captain of the 6th squad, slammed his hand into the wall.

The shinigami cringed at the noise, "Hitsugaya-taicho's squad just reported in saying that he was missing. We analyzed the reiatsu pattern and it looks like he was kidnapped by someone unknown,"

"Enkimura," Chou growled under her breath.

"But we have Enkimura's reiatsu in the system! It wasn't hi-"

"He's been eating souls," Chou turned to walk away, "Ready a garrganta, I need to see Yuki,"

Las Noches

Yuki had her own hands full in Las Noches. After two years of work Las Noches had finally been restored to its former glory. The dome roof that projected sun light was now more advanced. The fake sun would set to show the natural sky of Hueco Mundo every 24 hours. Through his research, Szayel Apporo discovered that Hueco Mundo moved at half the speed of the other worlds. In order for the internal clock of all of the inhabitants of Las Noches to set, the day cycles were set to match Soul Society and the Human World.

"Sensei?" Raiden walked into her office. He now had a dark green line over his left eye brow, his hair still tied in a low pony tail but his bangs were now full. He had trained with Yuki and Grimmjow during this time to get stronger. He never forgave himself for staying in Las Noches during the Collapse, if he would have shown up then, maybe…just maybe.

"What's wrong Raiden?" Yuki could see the serious tone of his face.

"Dad is feeling nostalgic..."

"What do you-"

"Minji!" Grimmjow was leaning in the doorway with a mischievous grin on his face. His uniform had changed slightly, he now wore a jacket that ended at his hips with a loose tank top underneath, "Come on,"

Yuki grinned at her old name and put Gilgamesh on her back before following quietly behind Grimmjow. She knew what he wanted. He wanted a fight just like how they used to.

He led her into one of the new arenas. The two stood across from each other; Raiden was watching from the side lines. Things got pretty tense around Las Noches and watching these matches always made things a little less stressful. Maybe because it was his parents…but maybe it was the inner hollow nature he had.

The two lunged toward each other but neither landed an attack as Szayel Apporo caught their attention, "Sorry to interrupt," he grinned slightly, "But Kyourane Chou is here for you Aizen-sama,"

Yuki grinned widely, she wasn't expecting to see her and hoped it would be good news. She knew better than to hope for such things.

The Entry Room

Chou was waiting patiently in the Entry Room. All Garrgantas that come from Soul Society open in this room. Chou had to admit that Szayel Apporo was a clever man.

"Chou!" Yuki walked in and Chou had to smile at her once enemy. She still wore her hair in a messy fashion, merely tied behind her head. But on the right side of her head there were now two braids against her head that tied into her pony tail. When she was in the comfort of her home, and not expecting visitors, Yuki wore a loose, white tank top that covered the gold Hagyoku and veins on her stomach and white shorts with a long coat draped over shoulders, "What do I owe the surprise?" Raiden, Grimmjow, and Szayel Apporo were now leaning against the wall of the Entry Room.

Chou smiled weakly, "There is good news and bad news," she crossed her arms, "the good news is that we found Enkimura,"

Yuki's face lit up with a fiery excitement, "That's wonderful!" the other espada grinned at the idea of victory being in reach.

"Well…you see. Enkimura has kidnapped Hitsugaya-taicho after eating the souls of the seven vizards in Karakura Town,"

Yuki's face fell still, "Kidnapped?"

Chou nodded, "His squad is saying that his reiatsu disappeared too suddenly for him to have died. They think Enkimura is trying to lure you out,"

Yuki clapped a hand around her fist, "Ohhh that man, I would have come for merely the killing. I didn't need an invitation to finally get rid of that man! I'll leave immediately, ready the-"

Szayel Apporo coughed, "Excuse me Aizen-sama but you can't leave,"

Yuki was about to open her mouth to yell out but let it close in defeat, "He's right…"

Chou widened her eyes in confusion, "Why not? I know that Hueco Mundo is tied to the Hagyoku, but you can leave for a little while before it becomes unstable right?"

Yuki sighed, "Things have gotten a little worse…" she looked to Szayel Apporo to explain.

"You see," he stepped forward, "Hueco Mundo is trying to expand with excess power being put off by Aizen-sama. That doesn't sound so bad, but I did the calculations and Hueco Mundo would actually expand so large as to engulf Soul Society over the next 200 hundred years,"

Chou's jaw dropped, "That fast?!" when you live almost eternally, 200 years doesn't seem like that long.

"In order to prevent this from happening, or to slow it down at the very least, I need to find out the optimal range of reiatsu for Hueco Mundo to stabilize. So Aizen-sama has to stay here and gauge her reiatsu daily for experiments,"

Yuki sighed, "It's for the best I suppose…"

Chou nodded, "For now we still need to find his exact location. He is in Karakura Town and he won't be leaving. I've set up a perimeter of guards that have been warned not to come home if they let him escape without following him,"

Yuki nodded, "In that case you'll need a tracker," Chou nodded, "someone who would be able to fight with him if necessary, you said he ate the Vizards? That means you'll need someone as strong as all of them at least," Chou nodded again narrowing down the list in her head, "someone that can be stealthy enough to hide their own reiatsu and tracks while tracking him…"

Chou bit on her tongue, "That only leaves one person,"

Yuki grinned, "Shima Akuma!"

Chou furrowed her eyebrows, "She left the Gotei! She said she wanted to find a humble life and figure out what her will is! We can't ask that of her,"

Yuki stood and sighed, "We don't have a choice! You can't leave the command center because there is no one able to take your place and I can't leave here because of him," she pointed to the startled pink haired espada, "Besides," she grinned, "I have no intention to send her off alone,"

Present Time

Akuma sighed, "I told you, I don't have anything to do with that war anymore. I don't even know what I am doing here…"

Chou let her head hang, "I didn't want to have to do this but…" she took a deep breath. Yuki had told her how to persuade her but she didn't want to use such information against her, "I am prepared to bring Kyouraku into this. We need your help,"

Akuma's jaw dropped and her eyes narrowed, "You wouldn't dare!"

Chou scrunched up her lips not wanting to lose in a power of threats and will, "You think I can't?!"

Raiden stood outside the door to the gym. He could hear the two bickering. Raiden poked his head around the door to see inside. He felt his face get red as he looked at her, _Shima Akuma. _Even now she would still hold the title of most beautiful shinigami. Her once hard and threatening features had softened. Her long, black, hair was now pulled over her left shoulder into a lose braid. There was a green clip that help back the hair that would hide her face. She was lovely.

Raiden quickly pulled himself away from the door and began to take deep breaths. He hadn't seen Shima Akuma in two years and when they were in Las Noches she was considered his superior and almost an aunt to him. He was pacing letting his mind run around wildly, _what do I say, long time no see? No that's so lame, 'Sup? That's too immature, what do I do what do I do? _

He tried to calm his mind by replaying to events of the day. It had all started so normal, yet it was completely new. He had come back to his birth place, to his home and his prison.

Earlier that Day

Raiden stepped through the garrganta to see Kyourane Chou waiting for him in Soul Society. She smiled widely at him, "You haven't seen it since you left have you?"

Raiden nodded, "I saw the aftermath of the Collapse, but I haven't seen it put back together like this," he gazed in wonder at how well placed everything looked.

"I'll give you the tour,"

He followed Chou through the streets of the new Seretei. They came to what was now the center of seretei. The first squad building was just behind a green space. There was a large blooming sakura tree in the middle. Just behind it, there were workers building something.

"What are they doing?" he pointed to the workers.

Chou winced realizing she shouldn't have brought him here, "Don't tell your mom!" Raiden nodded to keep the secret, "They are building a statue of her. A lot of the people in rukongai love Yuki more than they ever would me. If it weren't for her, they all would I have died," she pointed to the sakura tree, "That's the same tree that was behind the 5th squad. I don't even know how many hours she spent up there meditating,"

Raiden couldn't believe it, "I saw that tree after the collapse, and it was burnt to a crisp!"

Chou nodded, "Unohana-taicho and several healers kept the tree alive and when it was healthy enough I had it moved here to the center,"

He had stared at the Sakura tree for a long time. He had big shoes to fill if he ever hoped to be the successor to the spirit line. Sensei had united the worlds that hated each other. Soul Society was even building her a statue in praise. How could he ever hope to fill the seat that she sat in? Could he do it? Would he even be the successor to the spirit line?

* * *

"**Raiden?"** Chou called him from inside the room.

He took one last breath and jumped on the balls of his feet a few times. He realized that he had picked something up from his father and couldn't help but smile before opening the door.

There was a small moment of eye contact between them before Raiden looked at Chou, _please don't let my face be red, pleeease! _

Akuma smiled, "Raiden! It's good to see you again, I take you haven't practiced kidou since you've left Seretei?"

Raiden smiled weakly, "I wish, Sensei makes me train at least every week with kidou,"

Bringing an end to the idle chat Chou glared at Akuma, "Raiden will be your partner on the mission,"

Akuma flashed a fake smile back at Chou, "If you say so boss"

A Few Hours Later: In Front of Senkaimon

Raiden was pacing nervously, "I don't think she is going to come like she said she would…"

Chou was sitting patiently, "Of course she will,"

Raiden wasn't as confident. He worried that she might not want to work with him, or worse, she would come but treat him like a child.

"Sorry I'm late, my students weren't very happy about me leaving…"

Raiden quickly turned, excited to see that Akuma had actually came but was surprised to see-

"You cut your hair?!" Chou jumped to her feet, her jaw hanging open. Chou couldn't understand why someone would want to cut their hair short, for her, short hair was always a bad omen.

Akuma reached for her hair, "One of my younger students got gum in it…"

Raiden couldn't believe that she could have gotten any more beautiful, yet here she was. Her hair was just past her ears in length, the hair that framed her face was longer and stopped near her chin. The green clip was now clipped on the green sash that held her zanpaktou around her waist.

"Well let's not waste any time. Let's go find that bastard Enkimura," Raiden grinned at his partner.

"There are few things I've been meaning to pay him back for," she grinned back and the two began to walk through the gate.

"Be careful! Akuma, make sure you stay in contact with me!"

Las Noches: Szayel Apporo's New Lab

Yuki was sitting on the table, there were wires attached to her temples and all of her joints. She was tapping her fingers impatiently, "Aren't we done yet?"

Szayel Apporo was typing into him computer, "This reiatsu is still too high, you need to go lower,"

Yuki sighed in frustration, "I keep lowering my reiatsu but the Hagyoku keeps trying to pull it out of me! I don't think it likes it when I try to lower its power…"

He turned in his chair and put his hand under his chin in thought, "That might be true. There must be a way to stabilize Hueco Mundo…don't you have control over the Hagyoku?"

She shook her head, "Not even Aizen had control. We just feed our reiatsu to it and as long as it is kept happy, it will do as we ask. I think after being in captivity for so long it is working extra hard to keep itself from going back to that. It's hungry for more,"

"You speak like it's an entity, like it has a soul,"

Yuki shrugged and pulled the wires off of her, ignoring Szayel Apporo's protests, "It was made from thousands of souls. Maybe it has become one. But it doesn't take shape really, it's more like a feeling. I don't know how to explain it,"

He nodded, "I think I understand. I'll keep analyzing what I have. In the meantime, try and keep your reiatsu as low as the Hagyoku will allow, perhaps if it is kept happy, it won't feed Hueco Mundo to expand,"

Yuki pushed her hands in her pockets and walked to the exit of the lab, "I'll try,"

* * *

She sighed as she walked through the halls of her palace. It was a shame that there were no trees here, she desperately wanted a perch to meditate in. So instead, she had a tall tower built. It was off to the side of Las Noches, no one was allowed in the tower, not even Raiden and Grimmjow. It was a place where only she went. She walked up the winding staircase of the tower.

The end of the stairs led to a door in ceiling that opened to a roofless platform. The dome of Las Noches didn't cover here, but she found the black of Hueco Mundo peaceful. This was her domain, this was her home.

She laid on the platform for hours it seemed, just staring up at the night sky. She let her mind wander through her thoughts. _I wonder how Akuma is, how Raiden is. Enkimura…Chou. Renji is a captain now, I wonder if he is doing well. How is Soul Society now? Do they remember me as their leader? I am the Queen of all worlds…_

She couldn't really relax, she didn't want her mind to wander to him, Hitsugaya. She didn't want to realize how much she worried about him. Part of her always missed him. She found herself remembering the times she lived in Soul Society, as a captain…with Hitsugaya by her side.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of banging. She stood and looked to see a Vaste Lorde at the front entrance to Las Noches. He was banging on the door. She could barely make out the sound of his voice, "Let me in, Aizen-sama!"

She ran down from her tower, "Open the main door! Send him to the throne room!" she yelled at some arrancar as she ran past them to the throne room. It was usual to see a Vaste Lorde come to Las Noches. In fact this was the first Vaste Lorde that she had found since she took power. It was almost as if they had gone extinct.

She sat in the throne room, tapping her fingers impatiently. She was about to open her mouth and yell when a knock came at the door.

"Enter," she called trying to hide her excitement.

The door opened and the new Vaste Lorde entered. Yuki looked over him carefully, he had sea green hair that had three large spikes that fell to his left. The remains of his hollow form was a mask that seemed to act as a headband that wrapped around his head from his forehead. There were spikes in the mask that matched his hair.

He bowed deeply before flashing a grin, "I'm Nao Shin, nice to finally meet the Queen of our worlds,"

* * *

**There it is folks! I hope you enjoyed the update! I will be updating as regularly as I can, but be prepared for delays or things of that nature. As always my friend silver-wolfy12 over on DeviantART has generously uploaded some of my OCs. (She has already done the mysterious Nao Shin so go check that out)**

**Otherwise, thanks for reading and look forward to more! :D**


	2. Chapter 2: Past Interlude

Many years ago: Okinawa

Tachibana Kaoru woke up nervous for his first day at a new school. His room was filled with unpacked boxes, _what kind of parents make a student move in the middle of the week? _He took a moment to look outside to see that snow was still falling. The whole city was covered in a thick blanket of snow, it was like a wonderland.

He hopped out of bed and grabbed his new uniform that was hanging up on the wall. After getting ready he ran down the stairs of his new home, "Okaa-san?" he walked in the kitchen to see that his mom had made his favorite breakfast.

"Kaoru! You can't start your day looking like that," she wiped her hands on her apron and tried to mess with his hair.

"Okaa-san no!" he protect his hair, "this is the fashion now a days! I can't go to school and not be up to date on the fashion!" he happily stuffed a spoon of rice in his mouth.

She sighed, "What kind of fashion is it to have your hair look electrocuted?"

He spoke with his mouth full, "It took a long time to do this I'll have you know,"

She smiled fondly at her son, "If you say so," she turned to the clock on the wall, "Kaoru! Hurry you have to go or else you'll be late!"

He swallowed down his rice and grabbed his bag, scarf and jacket, "I'm off then!"

As he hurried to school he was grateful that his mom had made him memorize the way to school the night before. There was no way he would have made it on time if he hadn't. He ran as carefully as he could, the snow crunching beneath his shoes and the wind biting at his nose.  
He stood in front of the gate to the school, his breath was heavy and he took several deep, burning breaths before standing up straight and walking to the teacher's room.

Class 2-A

"Hiohara-san, can I please borrow your homework? I totally forgot to do mine,"

Hiohara Shiori sighed at her friend, "Again? You do this almost every day…"

The girl dropped her head and clapped her hands above them, "Please! I promise I won't do this for a long time!"

Shiori smiled, "Only if you promise!" she pulled out her thin workbook from her bag and handed it to her friend.

"Thank you Hiohara-san! You are a lifesaver!" the girl quickly ran back to her desk and copied her homework.

Not long after the teacher walked in, "Good morning everyone,"

"Good morning, sensei," the students responded automatically.

"Today we have a new transfer student to our class! His last school was in Tokyo so I expect everyone on their best behavior and to help our new student adjust to living in Okinawa understood?"

"Hai!"

"Alright come on in," the teacher began to write his name on the chalk board as the student walked in.

"Go ahead and introduce yourself," their teacher turned from the chalk board.

The transfer student took a deep breath and looked at the students in the class room. His gaze becoming locked with the young girl. She was staring at the board behind him. Her mouth moving trying to sound out his name, "I-" he cleared his throat, suddenly becoming more nervous at the sight of the girl, "I'm Tachibana Kaoru, please take good care of me," he bowed at the class.

"Nice to meet you!" the class responded.

"Hmmm, where to sit you," the teacher looked around the room, "Ah, there's a desk behind Hiohara-san,"

Kaoru felt his face get red as the girl he had seen raised her hand and smiled at him. His steps felt awkward, his breathing felt wrong, the way he held his hands was wrong; he felt like this whole world was wrong except for her, _Hiohara-san._ She was right.

He sat down in the empty desk and his classmates all introduced themselves around him, except for her. She kept her gaze forward and didn't turn around to greet him. Kaoru felt like his heart would burst, he wanted to hear her voice, to see her lips move as she introduced herself. He would give anything.

"Alright, everyone open your books to page 87 and we will start where we left off…"

Kaoru's family had contacted the school early enough to have the books that he would need. He was thankful he wouldn't have to share with anyone as he pulled out his book and turned to the page.

He forced his gaze off of Hiohara-san's back and on the book; it took more concentration then he would have liked.

"Psst,"

He lifted his head to see a small scrap of paper fall on his book. He looked around to see who might have given him the note. The boy to his left smiled wildly and pointed to Hiohara-san in front of him.

His heart racing at the thought of what her handwriting might look like he carefully opened the note.

"_Nice to meet you! I'm Hiohara Shiori the class president! If you ever need anything don't hesitate to ask me! Let's get along well!" _

Her hand writing was neat and blocked and there was a small doodle next to the message of a panda bear wearing a school uniform that was too small. The panda had notebook under one arm and was saluting with the other.

"_Let's eat lunch together, I'll give you copies of my notes for the test material you haven't been here for!"_

Kaoru re-read the note over and over again, he wanted to hold on to the note forever; he wanted to preserve it, to keep it as a memory of her forever. He thought of how she might forget that she had given him this note, yet he knew he would never forget. He knew that he would have to spend as long as it took to get Hiohara Shiori.

He felt his face get red as he imagined how their life would be together. The crazy part is that he never even questioned himself. He had no thoughts like: _Why am I thinking of these things? What makes me so obsessed with her? _

He just simply knew from that first glance, and this note that she was the only one for him. Hiohara Shiori was already his first and last love. He would be her man no matter what, it was fate at this point.

His thoughts of a happy future were interrupted by the school bell, _lunch time! _

She turned around to face him, her face seemed more beautiful the more he looked at it, "Did you bring your lunch?"

Her voice made his soul jump out of his body. It was so smooth and relaxing, he could listen to her speak for the rest of his life and it would never be enough. Unable to speak he shook his head.

She smiled widely and Kaoru feared that he might explode if she continued to act this cute. She pulled out a large lunch box and began to unpack it on his desk, "Sensei told me that we were having a transfer student so I prepared lunch for you and me so that you wouldn't have to eat the cafeteria food on your first day,"

He swallowed hard as he looked at the food. It was glistening and looked amazing, "You made all of this…for me?"

She turned her head away and Kaoru thought he saw a blush crawl up her face, "W-w-well not for you…for the transfer student….I just wanted to be a good class presi-"

"I will eat well!" he picked up the chopsticks and took a bite of an omelet without hesitating.

Hiohara's face lit up, "Is it good? You don't have to eat it if you don't-"

Kaoru lifted his face to show pure joy, "This is the most delicious food I have ever eaten!" he quickly ate more and more of the food she made.

Hiohara clapped her hands in happiness, "Eat slowly! There is plenty to eat!" she pushed some dishes closer to him and watched him eat happily.

Some students still in the room stared in awe at the sight. Hiohara-san was known as the worst cook in the world. She didn't burn anything, and her food looked delicious, but her taste in food was crazy! She didn't season anything well. The fact that Tachibana-san seemed to enjoy her food was ludicrous. No one could believe it.

Kaoru wasn't lying. To him her food tasted perfect. It was exactly the way he love his food. He loved heavy seasoning. She was only more perfect to him.

Hirohara smiled happily. She was worried about her cooking skills, but she was happy to see that he ate so well. Of course she lied a little bit, she had been at school late last night and went to the teacher's room to drop off some documents when she saw a file on their teacher's desk labeled, "Transfer Student". Curiosity taking the better of her she opened the file and saw his picture and name. He was the most handsome man she had ever seen. Just looking at his picture and making eye contact with it made her heart race. She quickly closed the file only to open it again and read about the new student, Tachibana Kaoru.

_Tachibana Kaoru, Kaoru….Tachibana-kun. Kaoru-san…Kaoru-kun….Kaoru_

As she walked home through the sunset her mind was filled with him. She pictured him bowing and introducing himself. How he might smile at her and nervously scratch his neck. She wanted him to like her as much as she already liked him. Her mind had been so wrapped with thoughts of only him that she didn't realize that she was home, and laying in her bed. She wanted him to be beside her, _but how to approach him?_

* * *

Shiori looked at the boy eat her food by the mouthful and felt relieved that she had made the right choice. What was it that drew her to this boy? She didn't know, and she didn't care. He felt right.

Was that really only the way to explain it? Was there no grand feeling like butterflies in your stomach or birds chirping around her? She didn't feel the world stop around her. She didn't feel her mouth get dry and her palms get wet. She felt comfortable. She was with the person that fate had made for her, she knew that. Simply put, there weren't.

There were no fireworks, or grand alarming feelings. She was so nervous she was relaxed. Ever glance she stole at him made her heart race, but at the same time melt.

Everything felt right as she looked at him. Eating lunch with him was right, the way he was the first person to like her cooking was right, and the way he made her smile by doing nothing at all was right.

Kaoru leaned back in his chair, "I ate well, thank you for the meal, Hirohara-san," _the way her name falls off of my tongue feels right._

_The way he says my name is right, _"My pleasure, Tachibana-san,"

He waved his hand in front of his face, "Please, call me Kaoru,"

She turned away _Kaoru, _"Ok, Kaoru-kun then. You can call me Shiori by the way,"

_Shiori, _"Well then, Shiori-san, how many notes are there that I need to catch up on?"

"Actually there are quite a lot," she pulled out five notebooks, "These are all for the upcoming tests…" she looked to see Kaoru's face was in shock, "It's not so bad, if you want I could…I could help you study," she stared at Kaoru, anticipating his response. She felt like he would say yes, in fact the part that doubted his answer was so small it might as well not have existed.

He grinned widely in a way that made Shiori blush, "Would you really help me? Thank you so much Shiori-san!"

She smiled back at him, _it's a date then._

_I suppose we'll remember it as our first date._

Saturday

Kaoru and Shiori both woke up early, took showers, and got themselves ready for their "study session". They had agreed to meet up for lunch at a local sandwich shop.

Kaoru ran down the stairs, "Okaa-san!" he stopped abruptly in front of her, "How do I look?" he was wearing a blue suit and tie.

His mother chuckled at him, "Are you going to a college interview already?"

Kaoru sighed and ran his hands through his hair frustrated, "Wait here!" he ran back upstairs and a few minutes later he came back down in a pair of blue jeans and thick black sweater, "How is this? Not too casual?"

His mother nodded in approval, "Now if only we could fix your hair,"

Shiori was having a tough time as well, "Okaa-san, what do I do?!" she was face down in her bed with her entire closet thrown on the bed beside her, "I have nothing to wear!"

She chuckled, "I've never seen you like this Shiori, what's so special about this boy?"

Shiori sat up in her bed, "Mou~ can't you just help me pick out what to wear?!"

Kaoru was trying not to look too nervous as he sat waiting for her in the sandwich shop. He got them both drinks, but wanted to wait to order food until she got there. He had come a little early.

"Kaoru-kun!" Shiori waved and walked over to the table. Kaoru felt the world move in slow motion. As she took off her thick jacket he could see that she was wearing a black sweater dress with nude tights and tall winter boots. Her neck was wrapped in a thick fluffy scarf and she wore earmuffs around her head. She looked adorable all bundled up.

She sat down at the table and took off her ear muffs and scarf and smiled, "Is this for me?" she pointed at the hot chocolate on the table.

"Of course, if it isn't hot anymore I'm sure we can reheat it," he sat up straight as he spoke to her.

She grinned and wrapped her hands around the warm drink, "Ahhh, it's warm,"

He couldn't help but smile at her as her red nose slowly went back to its natural color, "Thanks for helping me even though it's so cold out,"

She shook her head, "Any time, you know you are really nice. How could I not help you?"

They stayed at the shop for hours, losing track of time. They did study for a little bit, but they spent most of their time together talking, and laughing, and just enjoying each other's company.

"You know it's getting dark, maybe I should bring you home," Karou didn't want to leave, but he didn't want her to be home late and have her parents worry.

"Are you sure it's okay if you walk me home? Do you know the way back?" the two were walking through the sunset, the snow crunching under their steps. Shiori lived on a hill that overlooked most of the downtown of the city.

"Of course. I am pretty good with directions you know," he gave her a thumbs up.

Shiori gasped, "Do you not have gloves or pockets?! Your hands are turning blue!"

He smiled weakly and scratched the back of his head, "Well, I was too excited to grab my gloves before I left,"

Shiori pouted and pulled off her left glove, "Give me your hand," he reached his left hand to her and she slipped the glove on.

"What about your hand?"

She smiled and slipped her un-gloved left hand into his right hand and began to walk again, pulling him slightly.

"Sh-shiori-san, why are you-" he felt his face get warm at her touch. He felt the warmth in her hand spread to his own.

She smiled back him showing her blushing face, "This way we are equal. We both have one gloved hand and our other hand shares the heat between us…"

This small act of kindness from her felt she had solved world hunger, "Ohhhh, you care that much for me?" he teased her as the street lights began to turn on.

She pushed her face into her scarf, "Yes,"

Kaoru stopped walking, his whole body rejoicing at her word, "What was-"

She turned around to face him, her entire face red, "Yes I care about you!" she shyly looked away from him, her hand squeezed onto his.

He felt his heart race, he couldn't contain his happiness. He looked at Shiori and felt such an overwhelming emotion of happiness that he couldn't contain it. He slipped his hand out of hers and jumped up and down. He laughed and kicked up snow. He smiled happily at Shiori who smiled back at him.

It still wasn't enough, there was so much excitement building up inside of him. He turned to the city and cupped his hands around his mouth, "ATTENTION OKINAWA! HIOHARA SHIORI CARES ABOUT TACHIBANA KAORU!"

Shiori giggled behind him.

Reacting only on instinct Kaoru turned to her and cupped her face with his hands and shared his first kiss with her.

Shiori was startled at first, but the feeling was too perfect to describe, if she were made of ice she would have melted. If she were a burning flame, she would have been put out.

The street light above them flickered and Kaoru pulled away, their noses still touching, "Shiori-san, I-"

She cut him off by pecking him on the nose and pulling away, her face burning, "Kaoru-kun?"

He smiled at her playfulness, "Yes, Shiori-san?"

"Does this mean that you care for me?" she held her own hands behind her back.

"Of course it does!" he was almost hurt that she had to ask.

She bit her lip and quickly ran to the rail that looked over the city, "ATTENTION OKINAWA! TACHIBANA KAORU CARES FOR HIOHARA SHIORI!" she laughed and smiled at him and he laughed back.

And everything was right.

…

_Where are you? I've been waiting for so long…will you ever find me? Will you continue to leave me alone forever? You promised me that you would be there for me…you promised me I wouldn't be alone. But where did you go? Why did you leave me?_

_I can hardly remember you anymore, your face, your hands, your voice…it's all just a memory now. A fading, dark memory. Do you remember me? Have you forgotten me?_

_I'm missing something. Something isn't whole with me. What part could be missing? I can't remember anymore…will I even know when I find it?_

* * *

**So these past interludes are going to come around pretty regularly for a little bit. They DO have to do with the main plot, but it's a little side interest that will be later explained. **

**I know I didn't describe what Shiori and Kaoru look like and that is because it really isn't important. What they look like doesn't matter at all. It's their emotions and feelings. I know that might irritate some of you, but I do what I want! **

**Anyways, let me know your thoughts on these past interludes, give me your best guess! Thanks for reading!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry for the late update! I'll try to get these up more regularly...but I'm human too and we all make mistakes! **

* * *

Human World: Karakura Town

"Have you found him yet?" the initial luster that had once made Raiden nervous around Akuma had worn off after an hour of hunting with her. He now felt comfortable around her, which he enjoyed quite a lot.

Akuma sighed and opened one of her eyes to look at him, "If you keep asking me every 30 seconds then I'll never find him!" The two were sitting on a roof top; Akuma was meditating trying to find even slightest hint of Enkimura, or a kidou barrier that would have his reiatsu on it.

"What are you looking for anyway?" Raiden was lying on the roof with his hands behind his head.

Akuma growled, "I'm looking for a trace of Enkimura,"

"I'm sure he's hidden himself perfectly if no one has been able to find him. He's probably covered himself up hundreds of times to ensure his safety…" Raiden yawned as the warm sunshine began to lull him to a nap.

Akuma slammed her fist down on the roof making Raiden jump, "That's it!"

Raiden blinked a few times, "Wha-"

"He's hidden himself too well!" she realized that Raiden still didn't understand, "Like you said he's hiding. He probably had at least 50 barriers up around him to keep people from finding him. We shouldn't be looking for Enkimura, we should be looking for a part of this town that doesn't give off any reiatsu,"

Raiden scratched his head, still not really understanding, "Why would the town have reiatsu?"

Akuma sighed, "This town is pretty famous for having a dense population of spirit pressure, if Enkimura is trying to hide all of his presence and Hitsugaya-taicho's, he would essentially be blocking all of the reiatsu in the area,"

"So you can find him?"

Akuma closed her eyes and did a quick scan of the town, "I found him. Come with me, hide your reiatsu."

Las Noches: The Throne Room

Szayel Apporo had come to the throne room when he heard the news of a new Vaste Lorde. There hadn't been a single one since the appearance of Kurosaki Ichigo. It seemed as Hueco Mundo wasn't allowing hollows to develop past arrancar. The problem was becoming so serious, that Yuki had asked him to find a way to fix it. Yet here one stood.

_Nao Shin, what kind of Espada do you hope to become?_

"Why is that you have come here?" Yuki left the question open; she wouldn't just offer him a position as one of her espada. She needed him, her ranks were growing thin with only Grimmjow, Raiden and Szayel Apporo. She didn't want to ever think of losing a battle of strength to Kyourane Chou. They may not be enemies anymore, but she was still her greatest competition.

"I want to be an espada. Isn't that what Vaste Lordes do? They become Espada's for Aizen-sama?" his voice was laced with an air of confidence that reminded her of why she used to hate Grimmjow.

"Just because you are a Vaste Lorde doesn't mean you are just given a spot on my Espada team. You have to prove yourself of course,"

He grinned a little too sinisterly, "I would expect nothing less of Aizen-sama,"

Yuki didn't trust this new espada prospect, but she was desperate for new espada. She had no choice, "Szayel Apporo,"

"Hai, Aizen-sama?" the scientist stepped forward.

"Take Nao Shin with you and run the usual tests on him and get his data in the system. Call me when you're finished, I'll test him myself,"

There was a gleam in Shin's eyes at the last sentence, _I'll test him myself. _He was going to fight with the strongest person that stood above all the worlds. Could he really think that he might have a chance?

Szayel Apporo's Lab

He didn't like the results he was getting. Szayel Apporo was running the same tests over and over again in disbelief. He didn't want to believe that such an arrogant person would actually have grounds for his arrogance. He was indeed the level to be considered an Espada. He wasn't amazingly impressive in terms of reiatsu, but he would have been stronger than Aaroneiro at the very least.

"So you're the famous Szayel Apporo?" Shin was sitting on the table with his hands under his legs, his gaze fixed on Szayel Apporo. It was the first time that he ever felt like a bug under a microscope.

He raised his eye brows in response, "The famous?"

Shin nodded, "Ever since Aizen-sama died, and the rise of the new Aizen-sama there has been a lot of talk of Las Noches, and those loyal to Aizen-sama"

"Are there more? Are there more Vaste Lordes out there?"

Shin leaned back on his arms enjoying the excitement that Szayel Apporo was trying to hide, "Who really knows these days?" he grinned at the annoyed look on the pink espada's face, "I'm sure they are hesitant to approach. How can you tell if you can trust a new leader you know?"

Szayel Apporo narrowed his eyes at the prospective Espada, "Is that why you're here? To test the water and see if the other Vaste Lorde's should come and join?"

He grinned again this time sighing, "Who knows?" he sat up off of his arms, "Are we done yet?"

"Yes, but your Zanpaktou has to stay here longer while I analyze,"

Szayel Apporo was very pleased to see the upset scrunch in Shin's face, "How am I supposed to fight against Aizen-sama without any weapons?"

Szayel Apporo turned to look at him innocently, "What do you mean? Why would you need a weapon?" he pushed a button his desk, "Aizen-sama, he's ready. Which arena should I send him to?"

After a few seconds of silence the small speaker next to the button spoke, "Arena 3, Grimmjow is there waiting for him for now,"

Szayel Apporo turned and grinned, "You heard her,"

"Where's Arena 3?"

He sighed at the hassle that Shin was putting him through and pushed another button labeled "ARENA 3". "Follow the arrows," Szayel Apporo waved him out of his lab, closing the door behind him.

Nao Shin looked down to see blue arrows on the ground and followed them, his hands crossed behind his neck. _Why would I have said any of that? They're going to get rid of me if they know…_

He stopped walking, his face scrunched in annoyance, _Now you're quite?! Nothing to add to my experience now? _He furrowed his brow in frustration, _I must really be going crazy if I am waiting for a response from you…_

* * *

"So you're the new hopeful Espada?" Grimmjow was standing outside the doors to the arena. He already hated the new guy. He walked with a stupid grin and he had an air of confidence that Grimmjow could only assume to be empty.

"Nao Shin's the name. You're Grimmjow Jaggerjaques, right?"

Grimmjow nodded and walked into the arena. _Why is Yuki fighting the weakling personally? I could take him out without a problem…_

"Where is Aizen-sama?"

Grimmjow growled at his impatience, "She in coming don't worry about it,"

"Hmmmm," Shin looked around the arena, his outward personality taking over on its own, "You two had a child right?" he made eye contact with Grimmjow, "I'm curious as to how a Hollow can have children…"

Grimmjow growled out of an animal instinct, "I'd watch the way you speak to your superior," Grimmjow walked toward Shin, his hand on his sword, "I have all the authority to kill you before Yuki even walks in here,"

Shin grinned widely, "Oh, so the Primera gets to call her Yuki, or is that a privilege you get being the father to her child?"

Grimmjow felt all logic and reason snap in favor of violence as he punched Shin hard in the gut forcing Shin's body to hang over his hand, "It's a privilege you will never be able to have," he dropped him on the ground.

Shin coughed a few times before staring back up at Grimmjow, "Perhaps, but who knows what the future holds,"

Grimmjow was about to finish the beating he had started when Yuki walked in, "Oh good you've met," she took one look at the situation, Grimmjow standing, Shin on the ground. She sighed, _his temper is so short. _"Come one, one hit isn't going to kill you. We have a match don't we?"

Shin stood up and crossed him arms, "That pink haired espada took my zanpaktou. Maybe we should wait until later to fight,"

Yuki grinned, "Oh I see your point. That's fine. I'll just fight you with my arms tied,"

Shin was too shocked to do anything but blink furiously.

"That is what you meant right? If I were to fight you with my zanpaktou, you would die. If you have your zanpaktou then I can just fight with my hands, but if you are weaponless, you'll need more of a handicap don't you think?"

Insulted, Shin snapped, "Are you looking down on me?"

Yuki smiled innocently, "This isn't a match to the death. This is a match for me to gauge your strength and give you a number based on it. The way I do that is I match my strength to yours until I win,"

Shin grinned, "So you think my strength will compare to you fighting without arms?"

Yuki nodded, "Of course,"

"What number am I if that is true?"

"Technically 8. But because we don't enough Espada you'd be at 5,"

He grinned and narrowed his eyes, "And how would you fight against a true number 5?"

Yuki crossed her arms, "Without my Zanpaktou, of course,"

"So all I have to do is get you to use your arms?"

"We'll see about that,"

Grimmjow didn't like this atmosphere. The confidence in that man (Grimmjow didn't even bother to remember his name) was insulting. He didn't like the idea of having another arrogant espada, that was his job.

Nao Shin pounced forward, his only objective was for her to use her arms. _How weak. Could the Queen really be so weak? _She dodged his attacks, but she was slow. Shin grinned and raised his speed and threw a punch, but she vanished. Shin fell to the ground, Yuki's leg had come down on his shoulder.

"You think that the fight starts will an open hand? How sad that you thought someone like me could be taken down with average sonnido," Yuki turned to walk away.

Shin was on his hands and knees, his arms shaking in rage. He didn't want to lose here, he didn't want to leave embarrassed. He came here for a reason; he couldn't leave until he learned that reason.

He used sonnido to begin the attack again; his attacks became closer and closer to her. She had dodged without any effort, even when he attacked from behind. As he attacked he realized that she was more powerful than he could imagine. He was pushing and trying with all of his might to hit her, but he couldn't. He doubted that even with his zanpaktou he could lay a successful blow.

He jumped back, his anger taking him, "This isn't fair!" he spat, "How can some so unfathomable powerful accurately gauge the power?! To a God aren't all people ants no matter their size or strength?"

Yuki's face was solid and unwavering, "While flattered I have to inform you, I am no God, " she took a step toward him, "I bleed when cut," another step, "I scream when in pain," another step, "And make no mistake," she took one last step and was only a foot away from him, "If someone cuts my head from my body I will die,"

He looked away and sighed angrily, "You are too strong! No one can fight with any hopes of victory against you!"

Yuki grabbed him by the collar and pulled him close to her face, "This is not a fight for victory! This is a fight for pride!" she pushed him away from her, "And if you can't realize what you fight for, then you have no place here," she turned to the exit, "Take care of him Grimmjow," she sonnido'd away and almost instantly Shin felt Grimmjows leg collide with his neck sending him flying.

* * *

"Ahhh, it seems that all of that big talk was just talk after all," he grinned. Grimmjow wanted nothing more than to beat this man to a pulp. He had insulted his prize and his place. It would be easy and satisfying.

Shin was on the floor for the second time. The words from Yuki hurt more than the beating he was receiving from Grimmjow. _How could I be so distracted? It wasn't a fight for victory, it was a fight for pride…I've lost my pride. How? How could this happen…_

He could hardly feel Grimmjow punching him over and over again in the face. His body felt heavy, he didn't have the strength to fight, or rather the will. He didn't know if he could live with the fact that he had lost face. He couldn't show himself anywhere.

_**You still have the strength, don't you lose yet.**_

Grimmjow was losing interest, _he might as well be dead. _Suddenly he felt the reiatsu of the limp body rise. He jumped back and the man rose to his feet, swaying. He was suddenly right next to him forcing Grimmjow to dodge, _he's faster._

Grimmjow refused to go on the defense, he continued to push and attack him. He couldn't believe it, all of his hits were landing he could feel the crunch of his ribs as he hit. Yet this man wouldn't fall down. In fact it seemed as though Grimmjow's hits were giving him strength as he came back swinging.

_This crazy fool. He's abandoning his defense in the hopes to be able to attack. He's sacrificing his own body._

Grimmjow didn't like it. He pulled back and went in for a punch which he landed hard in the middle of the man's face. The green haired man didn't fly back as Grimmjow had expected. Instead he had grabbed on Grimmjow's wrist and yanked him forward, landing a punch on Grimmjow's left cheek.

Grimmjow jumped back, his face pulsing and turning red where he had been struck.

The man smiled through the swollen, bleeding mess of his face, "I got…one" he fell over and rolled on his back. He was breathing through his mouth, every harsh exhale sent blood in the air, "All right!" he flung a hand in the air and laughed softly.

Grimmjow growled.

"Congratulations," Yuki spoke from the doorway, she had been watching the whole fight, "Welcome to the Espada, number 5," she motioned for Grimmjow to follow her and the two left Nao Shin to his thoughts.

_Someone better come to heal me…_

Soul Society: First Squad

Chou hated her position sometimes (now being one of those times). Akuma and Raiden were out there, tracking down Enkimura. Yuki was in Las Noches trying to stop her world from eating the others. But what was she doing? She was waiting impatiently by the phone. _Why haven't they reported in? _Chou grabbed the phone and started to call Akuma, but quickly hung up the phone, _they could be in danger and my call might distract them…_she sighed.

She wondered how Yuki could stay so calm while leading people here and there. She knew that if Yuki could, she would be the head of every operation and stand by her soldiers, but Chou couldn't. There was too much to be done for her to leave. Soul Society needed to be rebuilt and it needed a leader.

Her mind feeling heavy she opened the top drawer to her desk, the ribbon she had once worn in her hair was the only item in the draw, the bells jingled softly as she picked it up.

About a year ago she had taken it out. She instead held her hair together with her crown. Being a special item it was able to do all sorts of things, and being of royal blood, Chou was able to control it. Much like when she was crowned and the crown took its own shape after being placed on her head, she used her reiatsu to change it and used it as a hair piece. Walking around with a crown didn't feel right to her anymore. _Am I even worthy to wear a crown? _

She held the ribbon out in front of her and jingled the two bells softly. She didn't know what compelled her to keep the ribbon, she couldn't even remember where or when she got it. It seemed to just appear in her life, yet it held some kind of anchor in her heart. She wrapped the ribbon around the hilt of her zanpaktou, she liked the idea of it being near her; besides the soft jingling was soothing.

The phone rang and Chou jumped for it and answered abruptly, "Akuma?...Oh, no it's fine. What is it? Again? Ok I'll figure something out," Chou hung up the phone feeling defeated. She worried that Hitsugaya might not make it back to continue as captain, they were already short staffed as the 5th squad was captain-less. It was working for now since it was the Technology and Research department, but she feared that it would need a captain. Unfortunately there weren't any qualified shinigami.

She let her head fall on her desk, "Why is this so hard?" she let out a frustrated sigh. _I bet Yuki doesn't have this hard of a time…that perfect women can't have problems…she has everything. Power, a throne…a family…a man…_Chou pushed her head into her hands. She didn't want to start thinking about Shuuhei, she couldn't handle that memory. She didn't want to think about how she lost the person who had been closest to her.

Human World: Karakura Town

The two trackers were lying on the far side of a roof, their eyes poked over the side and staring at a large warehouse. Raiden whispered, "Is that where he is?"

Akuma nodded.

"Should we wait for nightfall?" the sun was setting behind them, it wouldn't take long.

Akuma shook her head. Her old habits of silence were difficult to break when there was an important mission. The two silently watched as two men looked carefully around before opening to door to the warehouse and entering. They could hear the heavy clicking sound of a lock.

Akuma sighed, "Hitsugaya's alive,"

Raiden looked at her confused, "How do you know? Aren't there barriers?"

"There is an old trick that we were taught in the Shinigami academy for when you became a prisoner,"

Horrified at the idea of being prepared for a kidnapping, Raiden nodded with shocked eyes, "At least they prepared you guys…"

"Instead of raising your reiatsu to try and be found you lower it and hold it for as long as you can and when enough of it is built up you release it in one direction. A kidou barrier acts like a Chinese finger trap if you pull and pull to get out the trap only becomes tighter. But if you wait and pull with all your might really quickly, you'll slip out a small bit,"

Raiden furrowed his eye brows, "I think you were easier to understand when you didn't speak as much…"

Akuma raised a hand and jolted to hit him making him flinch, "Don't disrespect your elder!"

Raiden's face fell, _is that all we are. Not partners, not friends. Just an elder and their student?_

"You get out of the barrier zone and report in to Chou, she's probably a nervous wreck at this point,"

Raiden nodded and jumped several roofs away.

Akuma sighed, she hadn't meant to hurt his feelings like that. But what was she supposed to do? She couldn't let him have hope. How could Akuma accept another person's feelings when she didn't even know if she could feel those same feelings, she had already lived out her purpose in this world, who knows how long it would be before she expired…she couldn't think like that right now. She was on a mission; as much as dreaded the end of her time, she wanted to stay loyal to the person who had always stood by her.

The door opened again and this time several men exited the building. Now able to get a better look at them Akuma realized that they were Shells. Enkimura had already taken their souls. They were moving and carrying out orders, but they were already dead. Akuma grinned as the shells left. _He should invest in some smarter pawns…_the shells didn't close the door fully behind them, it was cracked.

Akuma didn't think there would be any time to wait for Raiden, she quickly shunpo'd down and slipped in the building.

Raiden had just connected the call when he looked over to see that Akuma had jumped down from the roof.

"Hello? Raiden is that you?" Chou was relieved on the line.

Raiden knew he needed to give the report, but his heart was racing at the idea of Akuma being kidnapped," Wefoundwhatwethinkisthehideout! AkumajustraninIhavetofollowher!" he slammed the line closed and sonnido'd down and slipped into the building.

Akuma was cursing and kicking the dirt on the ground. Raiden looked around to see the warehouse was empty. There was a chair in the center of the room a small crystal was in the seat.

Akuma screamed in frustration, "How dare he trick me. How dare Enkimura make a fool of me!"

Raiden reached down for the crystal, but drew his hand back, "What is this?"

Akuma growled, her head against the cold metals walls of the warehouse, "It's a transmitter. Whatever reiatsu Hitsugaya-taicho is putting off is being funneled through that crystal,"

Raiden nodded, "And this place?"

Akuma kicked the chair over, "It was a trick. Enkimura probably has several of these empty places set up. He's sending us on a hunt. He's toying with us," She reached her hand out and suddenly the crystal shattered.

Raiden gawked, "Why'd you do that?!"

"Because I don't need to follow a trail to nothing!" the door opened and 20 empty shells walked in.

Raiden sighed, "Can we kill these?"

Akuma cracked her knuckles, "At least he sent stress relief,"

The pair took care of the empty shells easily and Raiden sheathed his katana, "There must be something here,"

Akuma clapped her hands together to get the dirt off, "There isn't, why would he leave anything in a distraction?"

Raiden grinned at the sight before him. There was a small pile of ashes on the ground, "I don't think your theory is completely right," he knelt down and picked a scrap of paper that had survived the contained fire, "I think they were here, this wasn't a trick," he waved the paper at her, "they knew we were coming and moved,"

Akuma hurried over and snatched the paper out of his hand, "I need to reach Yuki,"

The two went back to a high perch above the city. Raiden sighed, "The ability that you had when you were a part of the Espada, do you still have it?"

"You mean the ability to talk with all of you?" she thought for a moment, "I'm not sure," she decided to try.

"_Yuki? Yuki can you hear me?_" she wasn't certain, but she felt that Yuki could hear her, it was a gut feeling, "_We found a document, I don't think that Enkimura is trying to make a Hagyoku in the same way that Yammamoto was. I think he is planning something much more sinister…_"

* * *

**DUN DUN DUUUUN! And the new plot thickens! **

**Thanks again for taking the time to read my crazy story! I really appreciate you guys. Don't forget to leave me a review, and follow the story if you like it.**


	4. Chapter 4

_**Hitsugaya,**_

_**Toshirou?**_

_**Torou?**_

_Yuki?_

Hitsugaya's body was sore; almost every part of his body in pain. _How long have I been out? _

_**A while, Enkimura has captured you. **_Since when did he start to hear her voice in his head?

"Oh good you're awake, I was wondering how long you would sleep," Enkimura knelt down so that Hitsugaya could see him. He was in a gigai, in black pants and a purple button up. His blonde hair laid straight, just grazing his shoulders.

Hitsugaya felt his jaw was swollen as he tried to speak, "What do you want?" he yanked at his wrists to feel that they were bound to the chair he was sitting in; he couldn't see Hyorinmaru.

"Nothing has changed in my motives, friend," Enkimura smiled widely.

"I'm not your friend!" Hitsugaya immediately regretted struggling against the restraints. His body was pulsing and sore.

"Well, don't worry. I don't intend to keep you alive for long," he patted Hitsugaya on the cheek, "You're just a live bait to pull Yuki out from hiding,"

Hitsugaya growled, "You stay away from her,"

"It's cute that you still think you have any say in her life," he dropped his hand on Hitsugaya's head, "Oh?" he pulled off the headband that Hitsugaya wore.

_**Don't let him touch me.**_

"Give that back!" Hitsugaya ignored the protest of his body and struggled against the restraints, _Yuki!_

Enkimura held the cloth close to his chest, "Ah, Yuki. To think I have lived so long without feeling your reiatsu," he took a deep breath and tied the cloth around his arm.

"Enkimura you bastard, give it back!"

Enkimura snapped his head to Hitsugaya, "You have no right to hold something of hers! You don't deserve to feel her reiatsu close to you! That is a right that only I have!" Enkimura's veins pulsed red before he calmed down.

"Enkimura-sama," a man began to whisper in Enkimura's ear.

"How are these humans trusting you? Don't they know that you will just eat them?" Hitusgaya growled under his breath.

"Good news Toshirou," Enkimura smiled at his unhappiness, "Looks like someone is hot on our trail. I'll get to have Yuki in no time,"

Las Noches

"Am I done yet?" Yuki was laying on one of Szayel Apporo's testing tables, her limbs hanging off the edges.

"How am I supposed to get anything done when you ask me every 30 seconds?!" he slammed his hands on his desk.

Yuki sat up, "does that mean you want me to leave you alone?"

He sighed heavily, "yes, yes just go to your training,"

The First Arena

"Sorry I'm late," Yuki walked in to see her small squad of recruits, "You know how Szayel Apporo can get,"

"When do I get my zanpaktou back?" Nao Shin was standing with his arms crossed behind his neck.

"I'm glad you asked, rookie," Yuki extended her arm to reveal Shin's white zanpaktou in its sheath, "Perhaps you'll get it today," suddenly the phone rang and Yuki walked over to the wall and picked it up, "Hello?"

"Aizen-sama," it was Szayel Apporo, "there is a transmission coming through the old communication network,"

"And?"

"It's Shima Akuma-"

"Put it through!" She hung up the phone and put her hands on her temples.

_**Yuki…Yuki there is something important I need to tell you. Enkimura isn't just eating souls-**_

* * *

"What is she doing?" Nao Shin pointed to Yuki.

Grimmjow grinned and shrugged his shoulders, "Who knows?"

Annoyed Shin glared at Grimmjow, "Shouldn't you know?"

"So what if I do? What would a rookie like you need to know about our great and glorious leader?"

Shin grinned mischievously, "I didn't realize that she wore the pants in the relationship,"

"What?!" Grimmjow snapped back at him, his buttons clearly pushed.

"Enough!" they both turned to Yuki who was obviously flustered, "I have to skip training today, you take care of him Grimmjow,"she tossed the Primera Shin's sword and quickly left the arena.

"Szayel Apporo!" she screamed down the hall. The pink haired espada poked his head out to see her.

"Y-yes?"

"I don't care how you do it, get me communication with Raiden and Akuma, now," she walked past him.

"Yes!"

She sighed. Things were becoming troubling. _What am I going to do? _

She found herself on top of Las Noches, in her favorite place. She laid on her back, staring up at the starless night, her eyes becoming heavy.

_**Yuki?**_

She was sitting on a lavish couch in her soul room. Gilgamesh was already pouring her a glass of wine, "Your mind seems heavy my Queen,"

She let out a heavy sigh, "I feel like I made a horrible decision, how could I send Raiden there? I know he is strong…but he hasn't completed his training. Now I find out that Enkimura is more of a threat than we had thought…what do I do Gilgamesh?"

The lavish King ran his hand through his hair. Yuki couldn't help but let her mind wander to what color his hair was. Sometimes red, other times black, but then brown as well? She didn't understand it, but it was captivating.

"Have you considered calling back the Prince and going to fight Enkimura yourself?"

"Of course. Ideally that would be what I would do, but I can't. The Hagyoku is what supports Hueco Mundo. If I leave here it becomes too unstable. I have to protect this world,"

"Aizen's world," he sipped on his drink, "What about the new comer?"

"He is nothing but a toddler, " she sighed heavily, "Why couldn't a fully trained espada have come here?"

"I don't know if you give this new comer enough credit. You never know, he could try and take your throne from you,"

"Nao Shin?! Gilgamesh, you can't be serious?! That weakling? He couldn't defeat me in my sleep!"

"I'm just saying, I think you are underestimating him. You don't even know what his zanpaktou can do,"

The light in the room pulsed gold and Yuki groaned.

"What was that?" Gilgamesh looked around confused, "the Hagyoku?"

Yuki shook her head and finished off her glass of wine, "Szayel Apporo likes to summon me by poking the energy of the Hagyoku,"

* * *

She opened her eyes to the starless sky and pushed herself to her feet.

The Main Throne Room

"Is it ready?" Yuki sat down on her throne, watching as Szayel Apporo finished setting up the large screen.

"Almost. I sent a small mechanical moth to the human world to transmit video through the moth's eyes to us. It will also display us in a projecting fashion,"

"Do you have more?"

He turned his head, "Yes?"

"Send one to Soul Society. Chou needs to hear this as well,"

A few moments later the large screen turned on and the faces of Akuma and Raiden showed up.

"Raiden, good you're safe," Yuki let out a breath of relief.

"Sensei…" he turned his head in embarrassment.

"Yea, I'm safe too Yuki thanks for asking," Akuma rolled her eyes.

Yuki smirked, "Nice haircut beauty queen,"

"Hey, at least I don't have psychopaths in love with me,"

"Hello?" Chou's face popped up on the other half of the monitor, "Yuki? Is that you?"

"Chou, how's Soul Society?"

"I suppose it could always be better…How's Akuma and Raiden-kun?"

"The two of us are alright, Chou," Akuma waved and grabbed Raiden's wrist so that he waved too.

"Akuma," Yuki's tone was suddenly serious, "Tell us what happened at the warehouse,"

Akuma recapped the events,"…then Raiden-kun brought over a piece of paper that he had found and there were symbols and half burnt words and-"

"Enkimura isn't trying the same thing," Yuki interrupted, "He isn't eating souls to make a strength equal to the hagyoku,"

"Then what is it that he is doing?" Chou furrowed her brow.

"He is trying to make something that will consume the Hagyoku," Akuma crossed her arms, "Something called Kui,"

Chou's eyes were wide for a moment, "He's going to eat the Hagyoku?"

"It seems like he knows that the hagyoku is loyal to the spirit line. His only way to obtain the power is to trap the hagyoku and channel its energy through another object before using it himself,"

"So he is only eating souls for an army of shells and to keep his own strength?"

Yuki nodded,"Akuma, do you still have the paper?" She nodded, "Will you attach it to the moth? I want Szayel Apporo to examine it,"

Chou didn't know why, but as she looked at the image of the scrap of paper, she began to feel anxious. There was something about that scrap that she didn't trust, "Wait-" she spoke in reflex.

"Yes?"

"You can't take the scrap anywhere near the Hagyoku, I don't know…but it doesn't seem right that Enkimura would leave us such a big clue….I can't help but feel that it's a trap…."

They were quiet for a few moments.

"Send the scrap to Chou," Yuki nodded as she spoke, "If Chou fears a trap I would rather trust her and be safe then bring any harm to Las Noches. I will send Szayel Apporo to Soul Society once you have the scrap,"

Chou nodded. _She trusts me…_

"Akuma, Raiden, I'd like it if you would stay in the Human World. Don't engage, just try to find Enkimura, see if you can get a tracker on him,"

After they said their farewells and wishes for luck, the screen was turned off.

"Y-yuki?" Szayel Apporo was twirling his fingers, "Am I really going to go there…to Soul Society? For work?"

Yuki grinned, "Do you not want to go?"

He grinned, "I'm ecstatic, I'll pack my things now!" he ran off for his lab.

* * *

Nao Shin was lying in his bed. His head was filled with only one thing: the voice. He had heard the voice since he can remember. It wasn't the voice of his hollow. It was a voice that had cause him great pain, yet brought him happiness. He had heard it. The voice was not just in his head, but out in the real world.

He had walked up to the throne room, curious of what might have troubled the composure of Aizen-sama. He pushed his head against the thick wall and listened. It was muffled and quiet but he hear it. He heard the voice that he had thought only lived in his head.

He turned his body on its side, _**Nao? Nao, Nao…. **_

_Who are you? Why are you real?_

_**Nao, I'm waiting. I've been waiting. **_

_Waiting for what?_

_**You said you would find me. **_

_When?_

_**I've been alone.**_

He scrunched his eye lids closed. He was filled with pain at the words the voice spoke, _I'm sorry._

_**Come find me.**_

_I don't even know who you are._

_**How could you forget me?**_

_Who are you?_

_**I've been waiting so long…**_

_Please just, just leave me alone._

_**Shin, don't forget me.**_

Soul Society: First Squad Captain's Room

Chou let her head fall on her desk. Her life was becoming more and more complicated. She doubted her own abilities. It was in moments like this that she began to miss Shuuhei. He had left soul society after the Collapse. _"What is justice? Everything I ever knew was a lie…I can't live here anymore," _that was last time she had seen him. She was truly alone now. She hated him. How dare he leave her alone? After everything she had done for him he could just abandon her…with only a few sentences.

She hated that he could just leave so easily. Was she really only his captain? Was there nothing more between them? _Does it even matter if there ever was? _

She looked across the table to see her zanpaktou, the ribbon wrapped around the hilt. She pulled off the ribbon and wrapped it around her arm, the small bells jingled. She felt loneliness fill her, it was a feeling she had become used to. It seemed like she had finally become friends with people, and then they abandoned her. Akuma had left the Gotei to find herself, Yuki had left to rule the Spirit Line, but what about Chou? She had stayed still, she was still in the path that she started at. She didn't change, she didn't grow. When she looked at Yuki she felt such envy. Yuki was a natural leader, giving orders were a natural part of her life. But Chou always second guessed herself, _Am I good enough? Will they follow me? Do they see me as their leader? _ Her fear held her back. It seemed like once again she was a little girl banished from her home, all she had was Bakemono.

"Soutaicho-sama," a man bowed at the door, "There has been a request from Las Noches to open a garrganta here,"

"Allow it. It's Szayel Apporo,"

Las Noches

Szayel Apporo had just sent over the request and started to pack up the equipment he would need. He was excited. He would get to do research in Soul Society. He was giddy at the amount of data he would collect. He might even find a way to stabilize Hueco Mundo!

It was in that moment that he saw it, the soft flashing red light on one of his monitors. _What could that be? An energy reading by one of the sensors? _He turned to look at his other monitor to see that his request had not yet been granted, _I guess I have some time to go look…_

Outside of Las Noches

Szayel Apporo was following the energy reading. It hadn't moved from its location. _What on earth could it be? _ He was finally there, the sensor was sticking out of the ground unharmed and it perfect condition, "That's strange," he frowned and began to do a system check on the sensor.

That was when he saw it. He knew exactly was it was the moment he looked at it. He felt his heart try and jump out of its chest. He was excited and thrilled at what he saw. He snatched it from the sand and ran back to his lab. There was no time to lose. _Finally, finally. I can save you. I can save you._

Human World: Karakura Town

"Why don't you take a break? We've been at it all day now," Raiden was laying on the roof top, his arms folded under his head.

"You mean, I've been at it all day!" she sent a static shock of kidou toward him to get him up, "You haven't done anything! I don't know why Yuki sent you with me! You are the most unhelpful, lazy, ridiculous boy I've ever met!"

"I'm only unhelpful because you refuse to allow anyone to help you with anything! All I am good for is making the calls back to home!" he glared at her. A pang went through his heart, how could he yell at her like that? How could she call him a boy?

"Maybe if you had more ability than a child you would be able to help me but you can't! You can't help me because you don't know how!"

Akuma continued to yell at him. He knew that she was just frustrated and tired, he knew not to take her words to heart; yet he was in pain. His only wish was to take her in his arms and remind her of the kindness he could show, he didn't want her to be like this…but she wouldn't accept him like that. She wouldn't open up to him the way that he wanted. Raiden was just a child to her…he could never be anything more to her. He was going to lose her before even trying.

Raiden looked at her, his face unwavering, "Would you like to vent your frustration some more, or would you like my help?"

Akuma sighed and ran her hand through her short hair; _I can't believe I cut my hair, what a stupid idea…_, "Go ahead,"

Raiden sat up, "Follow me," he jumped down from the roof and sonnido'd through the streets, checking behind him to make sure that Akuma was keeping up. _If I won't be more than a child to her, I'll just prove to her that I can be the man she needs. _Finding a group of shells Raiden stopped, "Hey you guys!"

Akuma covered his mouth, "What are you doing? Yuki told us not to engage Enkimura!"

_Her hand…_he pulled it off, "She also told us to find the base, now trust me and lose!" he pulled out his sword and ran for the shells.

Akuma sighed, _what a stupid boy. _

Within minutes of poor fighting, the shells captured Raiden and Akuma and began to bring them to their base.

* * *

"Shima-san?!" Hitsugaya lifted his head to see the two of them being walked into the base, "Raiden-kun?! What are you two doing here?"

Raiden winked at Hitsugaya while Akuma spoke, "Genius over there had a brilliant plan,"

"I thought you retired?" Hitusgaya spoke with his head down.

Akuma looked him over, his face was swollen and his body looked beaten. He was severely injured and in need of help…but it didn't seem like anyone cared, "Yuki called me for a favor,"

All of the shells turned to Akuma suddenly.

"Who dares to speak my muse's name?" a familiar voice came closer.

"Enkimura," Akuma growled.

"Oh, is that Akuma? I bet you wished that you hadn't healed me back in Las Noches? I bet that is one of you biggest regrets…" he walked in to sight and grinned at her, "And my old friend," he looked at Raiden, "How is your mom doing these days?"

Raiden clenched his jaw, "She's very happy with my father,"

Enkimura's veins turned red and he grabbed Raiden by the neck, "She can't be happy with him! No one can make her happy but me!" he threw Raiden down and took a deep breath, his veins becoming normal again. "So," he pulled Raiden back up to his feet and brushed the dust off of his shoulders, "to what do I owe this visit?" He turned his gaze to a few shells that began to tie Akuma and Raiden to chairs.

"We're here to save Hitusgaya-taicho. Yuki ordered us," Akuma grinned as she saw his anger rise.

"I told you-" he stopped himself from slapping Akuma, "not to say my muse's name. Especially if you are going to lie about it,"

"Why would I lie?" Akuma grinned as the shells finished her bindings.

"Why wouldn't you lie?!" he took several deep breaths to calm himself, "It is no matter. Now there is just more bait for my muse to follow to me,"

Hitusgaya couldn't bear to move his body, the pain was too much. His mind; however, was nothing but joy and happiness, _Yuki wishes to save me. She sent them to bring me back, she still remembers me…she cares about me._

_**You are just a soldier, I refuse to leave any man behind.**_

_No, you sent because you fear my death. You care…_

Soul Society

Chou was standing in front of the now open Garrganta waiting for Szayel Apporo to walk through.

"Kyourane-sama!" Szayel Apporo bowed as the garrganta closed behind him.

"Come now Szayel Apporo, you can call me Chou," she smiled at the man that she once felt such fear for, "I'll show you to your lab,"

5th Squad: Research and Technology Building

"This is the squad that Aizen-sama was a captain of?" he looked around in marvel of the progress of the buildings since the collapse.

_Does he mean Aizen Sousuke or Min-Aizen Yuki? _"The 5th squad yes, but since the Collapse this squad has served more of what the old 12th squad was," Chou walked just barely in front of him: a habit she remembered from her princess days.

Chou opened the door to his new lab and Szayel Apporo quickly began to set up his many work stations.

Chou watched curiously as he plugged in the machines that immediately started beeping distress signals, "What's wrong?"

Without responding, Szayel Apporo went through the computer and looked back at Chou with a panicked look, "Raiden dropped several tracking dots set to emergency. They seem to have been captured by Enkimura,"

Chou felt fear take her. She feared that Akuma and Raiden-kun were already dead. That Enkimura had feasted on their souls to gain their power. She shook away the thoughts, _what would Yuki do? _ "You stay here and examine the scrap. I will go to Las Noches and tell Yuki," she turned and left.

Her heart racing at the words, _I will go to Las Noches. _Was she anxious to tell Yuki the horrible news? Was she feeling excited about her success as a leader to handle things calmly? Was there something else she didn't understand in Las Noches? _Why do I feel such fear, such excitement? What could it be that awaits me there?_


	5. Chapter 5

Yuki laid in her tower. Her mind seemed to only get heavier. She had thought that she had abandoned those thoughts that had held her down, yet here she was; nowhere. She had everything that she had ever strived for. She was a Queen above all others. She had Grimmjow, Raiden, and Gilgamesh. Did she need more? Could she really be as selfish as to wish for more?

It was her fault.

It was her fault that Enkimura became what he was. If she wouldn't have been so vulnerable…the image of his face so close to hers, the rain drowning out all the noise.

How could she have been so weak? She had given him an opening, and he took it. She covered her eyes with her arm, _why did I kiss him back? _It was a thought she had never wanted to admit. But she had, for a moment she waivered to him. Enkimura had shown a side to her that she wanted. She had been throne aside by everyone, even Hitsugaya. But Enkimura, he wanted her. Enkimura didn't care about what the world said, he only cared about her; Minji Yuki; his muse.

She didn't understand her own heart, when she closed her eyes and thought about love she thought of Grimmjow. But what was her love with Grimmjow? It was a type of love that felt unconventional. It wasn't a love that she knew she believed in. The more she thought of it, the more she feared that her heart had been manipulated by her hollow side. Would she have ever loved him without her hollow?

If she thought long enough she would think of Enkimura. A man that she, like Grimmjow, hated initially. He was so persistent. He had come to Hueco Mundo to find her, and to kill her if he did. Was it normal? Her conflicted feelings toward someone controlled by a zanpaktou that lived only for revenge seemed strange. Before he betrayed them, it was his hand she felt gripping hers, it was his face she saw as she opened her eyes. Did she even know affection? Or was she just taking any feeling of confusion and mistaking it for love? What was she doing?

At this point of her thoughts, Hitsugaya would start to make an appearance. She would push him away as best as she could. Any thoughts of him were sure to confuse her beyond repair. Her thoughts of him always seemed convoluted. She should have only hatred toward him, yet she felt hardly any hate. He had reported her actions to the enemy, he had almost killed her, he betrayed her, he selfishly tried to control her life; yet she had forgiven him for everything. Was it out of guilt? He had done so much for Raiden. Could she feel guilty for involving him so deeply in her personal life?

She rolled over on the cold stone, her mind began to ache at the thoughts, and she wondered if Gilgamesh would listen to her. She blinked and opened her eyes to her soul room.

* * *

"You finally decided to let out your thoughts?" Gilgamesh smiled at her as he poured wine, "Should I pretend I don't know?"

She pulled her hair out of the pony tail and let it hang in front of her face, she didn't want wine. She didn't want to talk. She wanted Aizen to tell her what to do. She had him in her life for such a short period of time before he was gone. She held his reiatsu, but it wasn't the same. She yearned for the smooth voice, _"My dear Yuki," _the voice that reassured her. The voice that told her the path she needed to follow. It all seemed so far from her now.

"My dear Yuki,"

She jerked her head up to see that Gilgamesh was gone. Aizen was sitting at the table across from her, pouring the wine in his place. She narrowed her eyes, not pleased, "Gilgamesh, don't try and trick me,"

"It is me Yuki. You hold my reiatsu, along with a small part of my soul. If you wish for it, I am able to sit here and speak with you in place of Gilgamesh for a short time," he brushed his hand through his hair.

He looked the way Yuki remembered him when she was a child. His hair was curly and shaggy, his wood framed glasses lay on the table, "Aizen?" she felt her throat threaten to close as the tears welled up in her eyes.

He showed her a small smile, "Yes my dear?"

She hung her head in shame, unable to feel happiness at the sight before her, "I feel as though everything you worked for is going to be ruined. I can't focus on the work before me because my heart is lost,"

She heard his hair rustle as he nodded, "What confuses you?"

She pushed the hair out of her face, "I'm afraid I don't know what my heart is…or if I even have one anymore,"

"Fear is an illusion for you," he stared into the wine he swirled in the glass, "You do not fear anything Yuki,"

"But I have felt fear, I know it. How could it not be real?"

"The Hagyoku is protecting you from a truth that may threaten its own life," there was a gold pulse that filled the room, "It doesn't want you to know your heart, and so it is making you fear what you cannot reach,"

"What? I don't understand, " she let her hands catch her head as she dropped it. She didn't want to believe that there could be a truth that threatened Aizen's plan.

"You must find peace, in yourself and in the unknown. You must come to understand that the Hagyoku's will does not waiver. You must prove that its life would not be threatened by the knowledge it hides,"

"How can I do that when I don't know what the truth is?"

"It is something that I was not able to do,"

She lifted her head and looked at him, "What truth did it hide from you?" she watched as the light in his eyes shifted.

"It hid from me the truth of my zanpaktou," he looked away, "When I abandoned my zanpaktou, I was listening to the will of the hagyoku. It told me that the soul of my zanpaktou would be saved, that the display of power would show my strength and advantage," he sighed, "I will admit, the power of the hagyoku was too much for me to say no to. It wasn't until later that I discovered I had destroyed part of my soul,"

Yuki covered her mouth with her hand. She had never heard this story before.

"The hagyoku made me give my zanpaktou away to feed its own hunger. I sat in that cell for hundreds of years before I realized the truth. If I would have known, I would have ripped the hagyoku from me. I would have tried to destroy it," the room pulsed with the golden light several times before calming, "It is a truth that you may never learn until the hagyoku leaves you,"

She sighed, "I thought you were supposed to help me, I just feel more lost,"

She froze at the feel of his hand on her head, "You must do what you can't help. I know that you will be able to do what I could not, my dear Yuki,"

She lifted her head to see that Gilgamesh sat in front of her, "Yuki, you won't believe me, but I swear-"

"I know Gilgamesh, he was here,"

He touched around on his arms and chest, "Honestly that was the strangest thing I've ever felt,"

She fell sideways on the couch and laid a pillow on her face, "Do you trust me?" her words were muffled by the pillow.

She heard him settle into his seat, "I have never trusted anyone more than you, my Queen,"

The Human World: Karakura Town

Enkimura sat outside of the warehouse that his prisoners were in. There was a part of him that had remained untouched by the memories and the hatred of Yammamoto Genryuusai. It was a small part of his soul that his zanpaktou had protected; not Ishtar, but his real zanpaktou. The one he had thought he destroyed.

He laid in the small patch of grass with his arms crossed under his head. Sometimes he would listen to the thoughts of his old self, they were calming. _What do you think Yuki is doing right now? _Enkimura wondered whose feelings were stronger, the Enkimura he was now, or the Enkimura from the past. His current feelings seemed stronger, but something in him told him that his old feelings were more pure. Lately he felt obsessed. Ever since he felt her reiatsu on the cloth now wrapped around his arm, he wondered how he had lived without her presence. It was so strong and full and comforting.

The image flashed in his mind of the kiss he had stolen from her. He smirked, he had followed her to kill her that night. Yet, instead he kissed her. He focused on the image, the rain had been cold and it fell in sheets. Her hair was stuck against her face, tears rolled down her face. Suddenly her face changed, it was contorted in pain. He looked down to see that his hand was in her stomach, his fist clenched around the hagyoku.

"Enkimura-" she gasped for breath. Her eyes stared up at him with so much pain.

He watched as he pulled out the Hagyoku, the power was flowing through him, threatening to overtake him. He looked to see Yuki slide down the wall, a trail of blood staining the wall. She looked up at him with such sad eyes. _What is she thinking? Does she understand what is happening? Her eyes are filled with something I don't understand. Yuki?_

He dropped the Hagyoku to the ground. He wasn't the Enkimura of the present right now, he was still the Enkimura of that past. The Enkimura that wasn't filled with hate and hunger. He fell to his knees next to Yuki. The wound in her stomach was bleeding too much. He turned to the Hagyoku to see that it had shattered and turned to dust. He turned back to her, his eyes flustered and panicked. He covered her stomach with his hands to put pressure on the wound, but the moment he pushed down her body collapsed into sad.

He sat shocked for a moment, the rain turning the sand into mud and trying to wash away all existence of her presence, "No, No!" he tried to pull all of the mud into his hands, but it was already washed away.

"**No!**" he pushed his hands against his temples, his mind was screaming, "Nooo!"

Enkimura jolted awake the veins in his body were all red and pulsing. He took several deep breaths to calm down, but he was shaken. _My muse, what would I ever do without you? _It wasn't long before all thoughts of old Enkimura were washed away. He was no longer that man. He was Shirou Enkimura, the powerful and the hungry. He felt angry and filled with hatred. He wanted nothing but power, he ached for more. In fact, his existence was close to that of a hollow. He hunted for powerful souls to consume. His own power grew with every soul he ate, but it wasn't enough. He knew that there was a power out there greater than his own, and he wanted it. He wanted Yuki, he wanted the Hagyoku that she was fused with.

"Enkimura-sama?" a man leaned tentatively toward his leader laying on the ground, "The prisoners with to speak with you,"

He sighed. While the shells he was able to make from eating the souls of humans were loyal and obedient, they were weak and unable to be left alone. The few humans he recruited were different, they listened and were obedient and they didn't need his supervision. He had told them that he would grant them immortality if they helped him. It was a flat lie of course; he would share no power with humans. He would keep them around while they proved useful, but in reality, they were just a snack.

* * *

He stood and walked back into the warehouse, "Why do you three think that you can just call me? I'm a busy man-"

"Shut your mouth Enkimura!" Akuma growled as she pulled against her restraints, "Hitsugaya needs to be healed right now! He will die if he doesn't get treatment!"

Enkimura looked plainly over at Hitsugaya. His body was hanging limp in his chair, his white hair laid in a mess on his head, "Why should I care? So what if one delusional fool dies?"

Akuma ripped at her ties, "Enkimura!" she growled angrily, looking frantically from Hitsugaya's limp body to Enkimura. She needed to save him. She couldn't let Hitsugaya die here. He had been through so much in the past years, he had gone through pain and hell. She couldn't let him die at the hands of his enemy, "If you let me heal him…I will do something for you,"

He raised an eye brow questioningly, "What could you possibly do for me?"

She was running out of time; she closed her eyes and shook her head. _Yuki forgive me, _"I will tell you something about Yu- your Muse,"

He grinned, "What could you tell me that has any value,"

"I will tell you the truth about her and Grimmjow," she glanced at Raiden to see his face widen in surprise. _Please forgive me for now…I'll explain everything later…_

Enkimura's face seemed to consider the idea. He was filled a curiosity about his muse. He wanted to know. He needed to know about her and her life. He needed to know if there was a chance of his wildest desires seeming to be true, "Deal, tell me and if I like what I hear I will allow you to heal the fool,"

Akuma scrunched her face, she didn't want to tell Enkimura anything, but Hitsugaya was dying. She could save him, she had to, "When Yuki lived in Hueco Mundo, her hollow side was in control of her body. It was her hollow that chose Grimmjow, not herself," she didn't want to look up at Enkimura. She knew that his face was turned into a grin as he realized the truth of her words.

"Shima is this true?!" Raiden's face was pained confusion. He couldn't believe the words he had heard.

Enkimura grinned widely, "Very well Akuma, your news has pleased me," he couldn't contain the smirk on his face, "You may heal the fool," he nodded to one of his men before leaving the room, his mind racing with the possibilities.

Soul Society: Fifth Squad

Szayel Apporo sighed as he sat in his new lab. The scrap of Enkimura's plan didn't seem to have anything of value on it other than the labeling of the device: The Kui. From what Szayel Apporo was able to decipher, it was a device that would take the duty of housing the Hagyoku. The Kui would act like a body that supplies reiatsu; Enkimura would then be able to control the Hagyoku through the Kui.

He ran a gloved hand through his unkempt hair, _what a stupid plan, _having two years to study the Hagyoku in detail; Szayel Apporo knew that it was not some dog that could be trapped in a cage. Enkimura would only succeed in killing Yuki and destroying himself in the process.

_At least I have you…_

Szayel Apporo stood and closed the door to his lab making sure to lock it. He walked swiftly to the other side of the room, looking around to make sure no one was there. He opened up the cabinet to see a large tank with wires and tubes connected to it. The green fluid in the tank bubbled softly. Szayel Apporo looked at the tank with such a calm resolve, he knew what he had to do; he would not fail a second time. He would never fail again…he would redeem his failures.

Las Noches: Throne Room

Yuki had just received the message from Szayel Apporo; he had completed his report on the scrap. She would need to get his report; she couldn't wait for information that could be vital to defeating Enkimura. Yet she couldn't go herself. Her greatest power made her feel the weakest. She was trapped in her Kingdom, unable to defeat her enemies without jeopardizing the very Kingdom she was trapped in.

"Nao Shin!" she rubbed her head in frustration. Shin was the last person she wanted to send on an errand, especially to Soul Society, but she couldn't trust Grimmjow to control his temper and there was no one else she could send. She was out of options.

"Aizen-sama?" Shin walked in, rubbing his eyes; sleep had been running from him as usual.

"I'm sending you to Soul Society," his face perked in excitement, "Szayel Apporo has finished his report and I need you to get it for me. You are not to attack anyone in Soul Society. You are to go, pick up the report and come back. Understood?"

He bowed deeply, "Of course Aizen-sama, what could I possibly do?" he grinned wildly and left before Yuki could change her mind. His mind was buzzing with an excitement he didn't understand. His blood pulsed through his veins; he wanted to be in Soul Society. He felt like he was being pulled there by an unknown force.

He stopped walking and looked down at his right hand and stared at the gold ring on his pinky finger. He felt a deep attachment to the ring, though he couldn't tell why. It was something he always had, something he couldn't throw away.

_**Nao.**_

He clenched his fist and started up his walk again. He felt like he might finally quiet the guilty voice in his head. He would finally find peace, he could finally be forgiven.

_**Nao?**_

_Yes, yes, I'm coming for you. You won't have to wait much longer._

* * *

**There you have it folks. Another amazing update!...Well I like it. If you are interested in what my OC's look like head on over to my good pal's DeviantART page. Search for silver-wolfy12, she's been putting up my OCs so keep an eye for her updates as well.**

**If you like what you read be sure to leave me a fav/follow and a review (I really do like to see what you guys think). Thanks~~**


	6. Chapter 6: Past Interlude 2

Many, Many Years Ago

It was finally that time. Kaoru had been looking forward to this day for a long time. He had made all of the plans to make sure it was the perfect day. It was their first year anniversary together after all, it had to be special. He grinned wildly as he put on his uniform and styled his hair. _It needs to be perfect. _

He pulled out the glove that he still had from their first date together and pushed it deep into his pockets. He ran down the stairs and grabbed a piece of bread to put into the toaster, _to think a year ago it was my mom that made me breakfast in the morning…_Kaoru's parents had divorced in the past year. His mother moved back to Tokyo, but Kaoru wanted to stay in Okinawa so he chose to stay with his dad. Yet his dad seemed to never be home. The house was cold and lonely, but none of that mattered to him; he had Shiori for warmth.

He pulled on a thick scarf, a present from Shiori, and left the house. The air was cold and dry, though it hadn't snowed yet. The roads were slippery with ice so Kaoru walked carefully as he made his way to the street vendor. Every morning he would meet Shiori at the corner where their two roads came together and then walk to school. Since the weather was getting cold, a small street vendor stood on the corner selling hot chocolate to the students walking to school.

He smiled fondly at the vendor, "Ojii-san!"

The elderly man smiled back at Kaoru, "Oh, Kaoru-kun, here again to buy your girlfriend a warm drink?"

Kaoru nodded as he pulled out his wallet, "Today is actually our anniversary," he couldn't contain his happiness, he wanted the world to know.

"Congratulations, hopefully the first of many," the man handed Kaoru a cup of hot chocolate, "No, no, consider this a gift for the happy couple," he waved away the money from Kaoru, "I just like to see young people find love," he grinned as he handed Kaoru another cup of hot chocolate.

He smiled wildly at the old man's kindness, "Thanks you very much," he gave the old man a quick bow before taking the cups of hot chocolate into his hands.

"Kaoru-kun!"

He turned his head to see Shiori walking toward him, her hand waving above her head. Kaoru couldn't help but smile at her, she wore a big fluffy white coat over her uniform with a matching scarf and ear muffs. She always looked the best to him when she was bundled up from the cold.

"Good morning Shiori-chan," he grinned wildly as he watched her face fall to a pout.

"Mou- Kaoru-kun, I've told you that I don't like it when you call me-" she was cut off by a peck on her cheek. Her face turned bright red as she looked around to see students point and smile at them, "Kaoru!" she smacked him lightly on the arm, "There are people…"

"So? I want the world to know that you're mine is that so bad?"

She sighed and held out her hands, "Choco,"

Kaoru pouted at her, "You have to pay for it,"

She chuckled and reached for her bag.

"Ah, ah," Kaoru shook his head, "You have to pay with a kiss," he puckered his lips toward her, "Go ahead,"

Shiori's face turned bright red again as she looked around to see her classmates staring at the spectacle that Kaoru had created, "Kaoru!" she gave him a peck on the cheek, "Is that good enough?"

He narrowed his eyes at her, his lips still puckered, "No,"

She pouted and stared wide-eyed up at him, "But Kaoru, you know I don't like people watching…I'll give you a kiss later hmmm?" She knew she had won as she saw a blush crawl up Kaoru's face. He was susceptible to her cuteness.

"Fine!" he held out the cup for her, "But you have to hold my hand the whole way to school," he held out his hand to her.

She smiled and took the hot chocolate from his hand and laid her other hand in his, "It would be my pleasure,"

Class 3-2

It was a shame that Kaoru and Shiori weren't in the same class this year. Shiori had been number 3 on the end-of-the-year-exam so she was in the higher class. It was good for Kaoru today though; he was able to spend the entire time planning out the details for the anniversary today.

He was so nervous and excited and giddy at the thought of what she might do when she saw her present. He let his hand slip into his pocket; he wanted to look at the gift he got her again.

_It's not there._

Kaoru jumped up from his seat, he pulled all of his pockets inside out, _It's not here, it's not here, it's not here! _

He grabbed his school bag and poured out the contents in a frantic search for the gift, _No, no, no. _

He let his body fall into his chair as he realized the gift was sitting on his night stand where he hand left it last night. _No. _His head fell on the desk as he realized his plans were crumbling. The night he had wanted was ruined, _How could I forget the most important part?! _

"Kaoru-kun?"

His head shot up at the sound of Shiori's voice, _is it lunch time already? _"Oh, Shiori. Is it lunch already?"

She nodded as she walked over to his desk. She had made lunch for the two of them every day for a year.

"Is something wrong?" his leg had been bouncing since she sat down, "Do you have a test next class?"

He shook his head. He didn't want her to know that he had forgotten her gift, "I have to go to the nurses office, I don't feel very good all of the sudden," he stood up to leave.

"Should I come with you? Where don't you feel good?" the look of concern spread across her face.

He turned his face away, he didn't want her to know he was lying, "It's fine, my head just hurts a little is all," he quickly left the room before she could prod him for more information.

Shiori grinned as she finished her lunch, she knew what was going on. She knew that Kaoru had been planning their anniversary for a long time. _He probably left my present at his house knowing him. _

She cleaned up her bento and skipped over to her class room. She was excited about what he might have planned for their first anniversary. She had gotten him a gift as well, even though he had asked her not to. How could she not? It was their first anniversary! The gifts they get for each other now are the most sentimental gifts of their entire relationship! She had to get him a gift!

She plopped down at her desk and pulled out the long, thin box. It was red with a gold ribbon around it. She smiled knowing he would adore her gift. It was something that they joked around about for a long time. A blush crawled up her face as she thought about it, _I am the luckiest girl._

* * *

Kaoru was running through the streets. If he hurried he could be back without missing too much. He ran up the steps to his house and up the stairs to his room to see the small gold box sitting on his night stand.

He let out a sigh of relief and let himself fall on his bed. The weight of pressure fell off of him as he held the box in his hand.

His eyes started to get heavy as his body warmed up on his bed. He didn't want to fall asleep, but his body was exhausted after that run.

The End of the School Day Class 3-1

Shiori was happily packing up her bag, the ideas buzzing through her head about what amazing plans Kaoru had for their anniversary.

"Hiohara-san?" a student called from the doorway, "Tachibana-kun left all of his stuff after going to the nurses, will you take it to him?"

Her eyes widened in concern, "Yea I can do that no problem," she quickly hopped out of her seat and shuffled to Kaoru's class room to see his belongings all at his desk. She grabbed his school bag and his jacket and pulled out her phone to call him only to hear his phone ring inside his bag, _Kaoru, you idiot. _

She walked through the cold air alone, irritated at her boyfriend for doing this to her on their anniversary. He was supposed to be pampering her! Yet here she was, carrying all of his belongings. She knew exactly what had happened. He ran home through the cold without his jacket and fell asleep on his warm bed._ The nerve. _

She stood in front of the door to his house and rang the doorbell over and over again to wake him up, her frustration increasing with each ring.

* * *

Kaoru's eyes slowly opened to the sound of the doorbell. He moaned and rolled over in his bed, _ just five more minutes Shiori I just want to sleep a little- _

His body shocked out of bed, "Shiori!" realizing that he had slept through the entire day he ran down the stairs and opened the door to see her with her frustrated face. It was a face that Kaoru had seen several times, her lips scrunched together, her brows furrowed and her arms crossed over her chest.

"Kaoru!" she yelled at him.

"Shiori, I'm so sorry! I ran here to get your gift and I had so much planned and I just fell asleep! But don't worry! We can still do everything I just need to-" he frantically pulled his coat from her hand and closed the door to his house behind him, "Come on, there's still time!" he grabbed her hand and pulled her behind him. The sun was already setting but he was determined for them to make it.

Shiori was pouting; she was upset that she forgave him so fast. She knew he didn't mean to, and she wasn't even mad. She loved him too much to stay angry at him after he apologized. She knew where he was pulling her. He was going to take her to the place where they had shared their first kiss; the road that over looked the city under the flickering lamppost. She smiled, _he's such a romantic. _

By the time they had made it to the top of the city, they were out of breath and the last of the sun was already setting in the distance as the lamp post flickered on.

"Shiori," Kaoru's head was hanging as he took deep, cold breaths, "I'm so sorry that it didn't go the way I planned it, but I hope that this can make up for it," as he slipped his hand into his pocket Shiori's heart began to race. She was excited to see what he had gotten for her. What kind of gift was worthy of the first anniversary gift.

Kaoru began to panic and he realized his pockets were empty, "Oh no,"

Shiori's face fell as she too realized that his present was sitting on his bed at home. Her face showed her frustration, "You forget my present?! To think I had forgiven you for falling asleep and everything! But now after you made up for it you forgot it again!" she glared at his upset face, "You know how you know I am the better partner in this relationship?!" she snatched her bag up and shuffled through it, her eyes glued on Kaoru, "I wouldn't ever forget something for you! It's our first anniversary and you-" her face changed from frustrated to embarrassed as she realized that her present was sitting in her desk. She dropped her bag, tears starting to well in her eyes, "It's all your fault! I was so worried about you I left it at school!"

Kaoru stared at her tear filled face for a few moments before falling into a laugh. He laughed so hard that he held his stomach and tears squeezed from his eyes.

Shiori too broke into laughter after a few moments. The situation seemed too comical to be mad at anyone. Kaoru pulled her into his arms and kissed her forehead fondly, "I love you Shiori, happy anniversary,"

She nuzzled her face into his chest, "I love you too, baka-Kaoru,"


	7. Chapter 7

**_What?_**

Hitsugaya opened his eyes as the sun shined through the open window, he stretched out is limbs across the bed, his eyes threatening to close as the warm sun lulled him to bed.

**_Have I always been here?_**

"Toshirou?"

He turned his head to the doorway and smiled at her, "Hmmm, I'm awake Yuki…" he stared fondly at her. She wore a plain dress with an apron over, her hair laid out and loose over her shoulders.

"Toshirou, you were supposed to help Raiden train for his Captain's exam!" she crossed her arms and glared at him.

He rolled over in the bed, "But Yuki~ it's such a nice day…" he pulled her arm toward him, "Why don't we just spend the day together?"

**_Is this real?_**

She sighed and smiled at him, "Then you have to tell Raiden that you won't help him,"

He buried his face in her side, "I will help him, just…just not now. It took so long for us to get away from the Gotei, you can't blame me for wanting to make the most of the time I have with you,"

**_It's so bright._**

She brushed her hand through his thick white hair, "If that's what you want," He closed his eyes and felt her hand on his head. It was a familiar feeling, **_yet so foreign at the same time…_**

He opened his eyes to see that they were in a field outside. He was sitting up while Yuki's was resting in his lap. He took a few deep breaths; he wanted to take it all in. Every day he spent with her was worth remembering.

"Say, Toshirou?"

He looked up at the sky above them, "What is it?"

"Where are we?"

He looked down at her, confused as to why she would ask such an obvious question, "We're home,"

"Whose home?"

He thought for a moment, "Our home," he looked at her and saw that her hair was tied behind her head.

"What makes it ours?" a chilled breeze blew over them, the bright blue sky was suddenly black.

"Because we live here…"she was no longer in a dress, but in a while uniform.

She sat up and stared at him, her face stern and unyielding, "No, this is my home,"

He turned away to see Las Noches in the distance. He felt his heart stop at the horrible realization. **_No, please don't leave me…again._**

"Yuki," he turned back to her to see that she had transformed into her hollow. The Hagyoku's veins stretched across her entire torso. Her jaw was stretched wide and she screamed a hollow cry before clamping her teeth on his arm.

He couldn't feel the physical pain. He felt like his head would explode, **_please Yuki, no. Please don't make me go through this…_**He looked down into Yuki's eyes to see the deep pain she was in as she sunk her teeth higher and higher into his arm.

He turned away, if he continued to look into those sad eyes, he would regret it. He had already killed her once; he couldn't bear to do it again. **_I can sacrifice myself to you…take what you need from me…kill me if you must. Just don't leave me alone. _**

His world ended as her jaws clamped around his neck.

* * *

He was floating.

He was above the field that they were sitting in, the sky was blue, Yuki wasn't a hollow.

He looked down to see her staring up at him, her face stained with tears.

"Yuki! No!" he realized that he was leaving this world. This world that had shown him love would be gone, "Yuki please!"

Through her tears she smiled up at him and blew him a kiss, "Goodbye, Toshirou,"

He was floating higher and higher, he could barely make out her figure as she fell to the ground in tears, "Yuki!"

She was gone, he was being pulled through the sky until the world went dark.

_Yuki_

* * *

"Don't you think you should be explaining something to me?" _Raiden?_

"I'll explain everything later just let me focus!" He recognized the tight-jaw speech of Shima Akuma. He felt a pulsing warmth spreading across him, _Kidou huh? Akuma must be healing my injuries. _

Her voice dropped to a whisper,"Hitsugaya, we are breaking out of here,"

He nodded his head in response. _Yuki…will I be able to see you soon?_

Soul Society: Garrganta Gate

Chou was waiting patiently for the garrganta to be opened. She had rushed here only to be told that she needed to wait. Her blood was rushing to her head; why was she so nervous? It wasn't her first time going to Las Noches. Was it because she was bringing Yuki news of Raiden's capture?

She took a deep shaky breath; her stomach was in knots, her hands refused to remain still as they fidgeted nervously around her, "Come on Chou!" she smacked her cheeks lightly, "We need to focus!" she stood and walked through the garrganta realizing her nervous feeling would not go away for a while.

Entry Room

Chou stepped through the other side of the garrganta, "Yuki!" her tone was urgent. Since Szayel Apporo wasn't around, she doubted that anyone would tell Yuki of her arrival.

"Kyourane?" it was Grimmjow that poked his head in the room, "What are you doing here?"

Chou's face was serious, "I need to speak with Yuki right now!"

Grimmjow grinned anticipating exciting news, "Follow me! "

The Throne Room

"THEY WHAT?!" Yuki rolled her eyes and let her hand over her face, "That boy never listens…" she gazed at Grimmjow, "Just like his father,"

Grimmjow pushed his hand through his hair, looking away from Yuki, "You did tell him to locate the base…"

Chou sighed, "For now we know the location of the base but since Raiden and Akuma are missing, we've lost some of our strongest force,"

Yuki sigh was filled with frustration. She hated knowing that Enkimura held something of hers. She hated the idea of Raiden having to be around him, she feared what Enkimura might tell him, "I guess I have no choic-"

"Yuki!" Akuma barged through the door.

"Akuma?!" Yuki's face jumped in surprise. She stretched her neck to see Raiden behind her, his face seemed more serious than usual, "Oh good Raiden," she felt a wave of relief wash over her. She looked back up to smile at him, but was startled to see someone she hadn't seen for two years, _Toshirou…_she wasn't sure which of her emotions were true. Part of her was relieved to see that he was alive, part of her felt ashamed to see him; which part was real? She tried to force herself to act casually, to act the way she would if it were Nao Shin in front of her and not…him.

"Hitsugaya-taicho!" Chou smiled widely, she was thankful that she hadn't lost another captain.

Hitsugaya bowed his head before Chou and Yuki and looked only at Chou, "Sou-taicho, sorry to have acted on my own and fall into the enemy. Thank you for coming to my aid,"

Chou waved her hand, "No, no it was our duty. Besides, it was Yuki that called the order to rescue you,"

Yuki felt her breath stop, _Dammit Chou, why would go and tell him-_

"Thank you Aizen-sama, I appreciate you sending me help," he looked up at her, their eyes making contact for only a second before he turned away. Those eyes that looked up at her weren't the eyes that she remembered, nor were they the eyes she expected; they were the eyes of cold indifference. _Could it be that he has moved past me? Has he forgotten me? _

Yuki cleared her throat trying to come back to the moment, "Well, I suppose this reunion calls for a meeting. Grimmjow, open the channel to Szayel Apporo and have him round up the rest of the captains,"

Akuma sighed, she hated these cordial meetings, she wanted nothing to do with this war anymore. She feared that her time would end before she could help. Perhaps it would be best for her to leave; she didn't want to burden their success. She had helped with her mission; she had no place here anymore. She turned her gaze to Raiden. His face was turned to the floor, his brow furrowed. She bit her lip realizing that her words were eating him alive. She had told Enkimura to save Hitsugaya, but at what cost? She put a seed of doubt into his head that was once clear.

_**Why do you seem only filled with doubt? **_She heard the voice of her female zanpaktou.

_It isn't a doubt, it is fact._

_**Why would a fear become fact?**_

_**Because she believes it that's why. She is just a scared little girl who refuses to realize what she is. **_The male zanpaktou interjected. Akuma didn't like him, he always told her things that were difficult to understand.

"Akuma?"

She shook the noisy voices of her zanpaktou from her head and looked to see Raiden standing before her, "Raiden?" she looked around to see that the others were preparing for the meeting, _how could I just zone out like that? _

"Can we talk?" he stared at her with eyes that threatened to open her soul.

She felt a jolt run through her, unable to look away from his deep blue eyes. She realized how close he was to her, she could feel his warmth reach her. All she had to do was say yes. It seemed as though her entire body screamed for her to accept him. She wanted nothing more than to open herself up him, to let him in.

But there was a louder voice inside of her, a voice that only felt fear. _What if he realizes? What if my time runs out? What if I am wrong? _She blinked and shook her head forcing her gaze to leave him, "I- I have to tend to Hitsugaya's wounds," before he could say anything more, she rushed past him and pulled Hitsugaya out of the room.

* * *

He let his head hang. It seemed like he would never reach her. No matter how hard he tried, how patient he felt, he would never be able to convince her. He felt a sharp pain pulse through his chest as he realized that he would never be able to have her. Raiden sighed a made a vow to himself, _I will only try to reach for you once more Akuma. Please just give me a chance._

* * *

Hitsugaya had protested against Akuma's grasp, but she seemed not to care. She hadn't said a word to him as she pulled him down the hallway. Now that silence had fallen he felt worried. _Where is she taking me? _

Akuma suddenly stopped walking, her hand clenched onto his wrist tightly.

He hesitated before saying anything, "Shima-"

"There is no one here right?" her voice was hardly a whisper.

Taken aback, Hitsugaya looked behind him and ahead, "It's just us,"

She barely let him finish his sentence before she fell to her knees. He looked down at her with surprise; he had never seen her act this way before. The Shima Akuma he remembered was always perfectly put together. Even when she had seemed to be evil, she was still perfect. Yet here she was: a collapsed body on the floor.

Hitsugaya peered over her shoulder to see that she was not crying as he had first thought. She was on her hands and knees, her eyes were pressed shut and her brow furrowed.

"Shima-san?" his words felt timid as he held his breath back.

She took a deep inhale and stood back up, brushed her Shinigami uniform of dust before exhaling, "Take a seat and I'll finish healing your injuries,"

Hitsugaya looked at her apprehensively before taking a seat. He didn't want to risk what she might do if he prodded her for information. She was a scary woman after all.

..

"Oi! Woman," Grimmjow's voice echoed through the hallway, "We are ready for the meeting!" he was silent for a moment, "Bring the white haired one,"

Akuma sighed, Grimmjow had never forgiven Hitsugaya for what he did…but who would forgive the person who tried to kill their wife?

Soul Society

Nao Shin was starting to feel apprehensive. He still felt like his body was in knots. He felt so close to finding whatever it was that was haunting him, yet there was a part of him that feared what it was. He wondered if he really needed to find what it was he was searching for. What would he do with his life after he found it? Would he have a life?

He took a heavy breath before opening the door the Szayel Apporo's new lab, "Szayel-" his eyes opened wide and his jaw dropped open as he saw the pink haired espada bent over a green cylinder; a single eye floating in the water.

Szayel Apporo quickly shut the door to hide his project and glared at Shin, "What do you think you are doing here?! How dare you barge in without knocking?"

Shin ignored Szayel Apporo as his eyes were glued to the cabinet that seemed to house a secret, "What was that? Was that an eye?!" he pulled his gaze to Szayel Apporo to see his face jump in surprise.

"I-uh, that,…no it was….I mean…" his eyes frantically began to look around the room, "Here take this," he shoved the repot of the Kui scrap into Nao's hands and pushed him out of the lab, "Don't tell anyone about this!"

Nao Shin stood outside the door to the lab trying to remember exactly what he saw. _A long tube with green, bubbling water…wires attached….an eye floating in the water…but whose eye? _

Szayel Apporo opened the door to his lab and locked it behind him, avoiding eye contact with Shin, "There is a meeting with Aizen-sama, we should report back right away. I guess you coming here was pointless…"

Shin suddenly remembered what it was he had come here for. Like clockwork his body became stiff and his mind became cluttered as he thought of what it was he needed to find, "Actually I'm going to head back to Las Noches, this place gives me the creeps…" he turned around and waved back to him as he left.

_**Nao…can you really find me here? **_

He shook his head not wanting to think of the voice. He wanted his mind to be calm, to be still. As he stood outside he felt the sun warm his skin and looked down at the glistening ring on his pinky.

_Can I find you?_

The Meeting:Las Noches

Yuki, Chou, Akuma, Hitsugaya, Raiden, and Grimmjow stood before a large screen that was showed the Captains meeting room in Soul society.

"Taicho!" Rangiku was the first person to speak as she saw Hitsugaya, "Thank goodness you're OK,"

Hitsugaya rolled his eyes at his vice-captain.

Chou looked around the room in Soul Society, it seemed like all of the captains had gathered, "Abarai-taicho, where is your vice-captain?"

Renji rubbed the back of his head, "He is a little busy right now…"

"Can we skip the pleasantries and start the meeting?" Soi Fon-taicho stood with her arms crossed, "Some of us have work to do,"

"Ah, Soi Fon-san, don't get so angry, consider this time as a break,"

Chou grinned widely, "Kyouraku-san, Ukitake-san!" while the two of them were no longer captains, they stayed close to the Gotei in their retirement to aid Chou in her work, "Thank you for coming!"

Ukitake smiled softly, "We heard there would be a meeting to-"

"Akuma-chan!" Kyouraku waved at his adopted daughter through the screen, "It's good to see you back in uniform,"

Akuma turned away from shyly, "Mou, don't say things like that…"

"Ah, Aizen-sama," Szayel Apporo bowed slightly as he walked into the room, "Good to see it's all up and running smoothly,"

"Szayel Apporo, please tell me you have good news!" Yuki was relieved to see one of her subordinates on the other side of the TV.

Szayel Apporo nodded, "Well it seems as though the plan that Enkimura has won't be very effective in any case,"

"Not effective? That doesn't sound right," Chou mumbled to herself as she listened.

"He is underestimating the Hagyoku. This Kui that he is creating is meant to act like a middle man between him and the Hagyoku. He would feed the Hagyoku reiatsu through the Kui and then use its power," there were nods of understanding around the room, "but there is no way that this will work. If he does somehow get the hagyoku, it would simply destroy him," he paused, "Unfortunately, I fear that the hagyoku would be lost forever if he does get his hands on it…and Aizen-sama would surely be killed from the shock,"

The entire room seemed shocked at the news except for Yuki. She sat in her throne and nodded calmly as she listened, "Then we only have one option," the room turned their heads to her, eager to listen to what plan the empress might have to win against such a reckless foe...

The Human World: Karakura Town

Enkimura laid on the roof top of his base, the night sky filled with stars that gave the air a nostalgic chill. He couldn't help but grin as he thought of how the day progressed: perfect. It was all just perfect. It seemed as though he were finally a step ahead of Yuki, and what a step it was.

As his thoughts drifting he found himself heading to his soul room. It had been a while since he had last been there. The once bright blue sky was tainted red, a blood moon hung high in the sky. The once fluffy white clouds more closely resembled boulders that tapped against his shoes as he walked.

He liked this soul room more than the old one.

He walked up the steps to the temple, he no longer had to go through those tedious rituals to please the goddess.

"Enkimura!" the once seductive temptress seemed so helpless as she hung from the walls of the temple. Her arms and ankles were bound in red chains that held her to the wall. Her once goddess like features were inebriated. Her veins protruded from her body and glowed a deep red color; the whites from her eyes were almost swallowed whole by this dirty red glow, "Enkimura!" the way she spat out his name made him grin.

"Hello there, Ishtar-sama," while once her title was said respect, he now used it to remind her of the heights from which she had fallen, "How are you doing? You don't look so good,"

She held back a scream of pain, raw power coursing through her, "You will pay for this," she clenched her jaw. Her deep purple hair fell in front of her face.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, don't be like that Ishtar-sama," he brushed her hair behind her ear, "You know that it's thanks to you that I am able to stand here," he pulled her jaw up so that she might look at him, "You said it yourself, I am nothing without you,"

She jerked to bite his hand, "That's right! And when you fall, and believe me you will, I will not hesitate to repay you for this," her gaze fell upon him with such hatred and resent that Enkimura wondered if this was the gaze that she had once given Gilgamesh.

"Oh I assure you Ishtar-sama, you will be waiting for a long, long time,"

She opened her mouth to speak but curled back in pain and screamed.

"Oh? Is the all mighty Ishtar-sama unable to control such a measly amount of power?" he grinned at her, "And to think you were so willing to accept this power," he arched back and howled a laugh, "What was it that you said again? 'Give me as much power as you can and you will wield me'? Was that it?" he widened his grin as she glared at him, "What's wrong? Haven't I given you everything you asked for?"

"You bastard!" she lunged forward at him but was pulled back into the wall by the chains, "I'll kill you Enkimura, I'll-" she curled over in pain as more power surged through her.

He looked dully at her, _to think that he was once afraid of her..._since when did he start referring to his old self as a separate person? He brushed his hand through his hair; the sight before him becoming grotesque.

He turned his head at the sound of another scream, _has there always been a door over there? _The screams intensified and he found his curiosity taking the better of him. His steps echoed between the screams of Ishtar and the unknown person. He reached for the handled and pushed open the door.

He didn't want to believe the sight before him. In that dark room there sat Enkimura Shirou in the corner, his arms and legs bound in the same red chains as Ishtar. His eyes consumed by the dirty red color.

His jaw dropped as he saw himself chained to the wall, _what is happen- _

It then clicked. He realized that the man chained to the wall was the Enkimura of the past, the weak Enkimura. It was the Enkimura that he had abandoned. While there was a small pang of remorse for the tortured figure before him, Enkimura couldn't help but feel actual joy, "At least you will finally be useful to me," he moved to close the door when the chained Enkimura spoke.

"You can't-" he breathed heavily, "You can't kill her...you can't take away my muse,"

Enkimura filled with rage at the naive figure. He was weak, he was useless. He was nothing. Without words Enkimura slammed the door and opened his eyes to the real world.

_'...you can't take away my muse...' _he scoffed at the arrogant words. _My Muse. Yuki is my Muse. She could never be the muse of someone so weak...someone so worthless. _

He shook his head of those demeaning thoughts. He had work to do. It was finally time to move on with his plan. He hopped down from his roof perch and walked into his warehouse to the back. As he closed the door behind him he grinned wildly down at the scrap of paper on his desk, "Time to say hello to my old friends,"

* * *

**There is is folks. I hope you enjoyed my chapter, please leave me some feedback as I am DYING to know what you all think of my stuff. Don't forget to check out silver-wolfy12 over on deviantART if you are curious to what some of my OCs look like (I know she is slacking at uploading them but what do you want from a free worker?)**

**Thanks for reading and look forward to the next chapter! **


	8. Chapter 8

Las Noches: The Study

The meeting seemed to have dragged on forever. Everyone was both outraged and intrigued by the plan she had come up with. She felt more trapped than ever, she wished Szayel Apporo would be back, she felt hopeless without him. This whole affair would be done with if she could just fight Enkimura, but he was too smart to come walking into Hueco Mundo, and she wouldn't be able to pursue him directly either. Her greatest power was holding her back. If she didn't control the hagyoku correctly, it could destroy everything Aizen had worked so hard to create.

She let her head rest on the cold desk, _Hitsugaya. _She had seen him today for the first time, while she tried to act as though she felt nothing, the reality terrified her. She couldn't let her gaze fall on him, it brought her too much pain. She had cause him too much grief...yet he seemed as though he had forgotten her...she didn't think she deserved to have him still hold on to her but-

_**My Queen?**_

_Yes Gilgamesh?_

_**Perhaps it is time to get some rest. You must keep your health…**_

She sighed. Gilgamesh was right, she needed to rest, but her mind was too heavy, and she feared her dreams.

She made her way down the corridor slowly. Every step she took toward her room seemed to make the hallway brighter. She could see further and further in front of her.

"Yuki?"

She turned around to see Hitsuaya, "What are you doing here?" she shifted her eyes away, "You were supposed to go back to Soul Society,"

"Not without you…"

She looked back at him to see Soul Society behind him, "What?"

"Yuki, come back with me. Come back home with me,"

She felt her body pull toward him, she could run away. She could go with him. She could forget.

"Enough of that!" she turned to her left to see Grimmjow, "She's not going anywhere with you!" he slinked his arm around her waist, "Yuki is my prize!"

She pulled away from him grasp, "Grimmjow!"

"Come on Yuki, let's go to bed. This is your home," he held his hand out for her. Now that Grimmjow stood before her, she felt herself be drawn to him. He was by her side through everything...he was stable.

"Yuki come with me. You can't stay trapped here," Hitsugaya held his hand out as well.

Yuki held her hands tightly against her chest, she thought she knew what she wanted, but why was her mind so unclear? Why did she hesitate? Where was the will of the Hagyoku?

"Yuki?"

"Yuki!"

Her feet moved on their own, she turned and ran.

She ran away from the decision she knew that she couldn't make. She ran with her eyes squeezed shut, _ why am I crying? _Had she lost the chance to turn back around? Could she turn back time?

The walls seemed whiter and whiter as everything began to become clear. Her mind dropped the heavy thoughts that were once clouding it. She wondered when the end of the hallway would come. When she could stop running from the choices behind her.

The hallway was so bright that she could no longer tell the floor from the walls.

"Yuki,"

She recognized the voice calling to her. It was so familiar, but who was it? She ran faster, every part of her body aching. She had to know who was at the end of this bright path. Who was it that was waiting for her?

"Yuki…"

She knew; the name was on the top of her tongue. All she had to do was to call out and-

There was suddenly a flash of gold light that seemed to drop the floor from under her. She fell from the hallway, from the truth.

"Yuki!"

* * *

She jolted her eyes open to see she was lying in bed, _A dream huh? What was it about? _She felt it was important, _maybe…_

Her attention was drawn to the pulsing of the hagyoku in her stomach. _Why is it so active?_

She took a few deep breaths to calm down and forgot all about the dream. _Why am I awake?_ She closed her eyes and felt Grimmjows arm wrap around her waist and pull her closer to him. She let her mind go blank and felt him. His even, calm breathing that was warm against her back. She felt his muscles twitch as he slept. She wondered what it was that Grimmjow dreamt of. Was it of yarn and food? Was it about his famous battles? Was it of her?

She thought it best to leave his dreams alone as she snuggled into his body.

This was her place.

This was where she wanted to be.

This was her home.

Outside

Akuma had decided to stay in Las Noches a little longer. There were things in her head that she needed to settle. She felt as though her time was over, two years ago she would have followed Yuki through anything and everything; but that was her need to control Shikyaku. And he was gone.

She wondered if this war concerned her. Sure her kidou skills would always be useful, and her power would be helpful and maybe even needed.

But did she want to fight?

That was the question that brought her to the roof top. The sun had long set under the domed sky and she was wrapped in a veil of the night sky.

Why had she stayed here? She didn't know. This place had brought about the biggest change in her life. This was the place where she had learned so much about herself, but now she felt more lost than ever.

Did she want to fight?

_Do I want to fight? Do I want to stand beside Yuki? Is this war my fight?_

She wondered what Ichigo would do. It had seemed so easy for him to leave his place and find his path. He had fought alongside Yuki and then vanished to fulfill his promise. Did she have a path? She wondered if her path was meant to end after giving herself to Ichigo. Wasn't her purpose to house his power? To protect Zangetsu? Why was she still here? She didn't belong here.

This wasn't her fight.

She turned around quickly to leave but hesitated at the unfamiliar face before her.

"Shima Akuma?!" the man she didn't recognize seemed to know her, "I didn't know you were in Las Noches!"

"And you are...?"

His face fell red in surprise and embarassment, "How could I forget to introduce myself?" he smacked his head lightly and Akuma chuckled softly, "I'm Nao Shin the newly added espada,"

Akuma was shocked, it wasn't like Yuki to forget to tell them things important, "How do you know me?"

He smiled nervously, "As I traveled through Heuco Mundo there are those who tell stories of the victory" he twirled the ring on his finger, "Your stories were always my favorite..."

For one of the only times in her life, Akuma busted out into laughter, "Why would you like _my _story?"

He smiled widely at her, "What's not to like? You were the most trusted of Aizen's force, you nearly killed the future enemy!"

Akuma sighed, she knew her story was not so fortunate.

"I have always wondered..." he took a small step toward her, "How were you able to change your zanpaktou in the fight with Enkimura?"

She realized that like every legend, there were lies. The hollow that told the story didn't know her past, it didn't know that she was a doll. Akuma looked at Shin, ready to tell him a lie, but as her eyes met with his she felt something. She didn't know what it was, or why it made her tell him the truth, but it did. Maybe she trusted him, maybe she knew that her true story might help him...perhaps she understood his past.

* * *

Nao Shin didn't understand why he let his guard down around her. His usual act of the arrogant Shin seemed almost non-existent as he stood before her. He felt naked and exposed. No matter how hard he tried, he was the real Shin. The insecure, nervous, hesitant Shin.

"There is actually a lot to the story..."

The idea of knowing that there was more to her story filled him with of a type of excitement that had always been rare to him, "If you don't mind..." he looked away from her, "I'd really like to hear it..."

"I shouldn't be alive...I think,"

From that first sentence he was hooked. He listened to everything, he hung on every word she spoke. What was it that drew him to her story? Ever since he learned her name he had searched Hueco Mundo for more of her legends. She was powerful, but humble. She was like a beast trapped in a cage made of cloth. She could explode at any moment. But it was more than her power. It was as if she had hated her power. She never used it, she couldn't control it.

Shin wondered if she heard the voice of her zanpaktou in her head. If she had to struggle with the wildness of her zanpaktou and if she fought to control it. He wondered if it tormented her the way the voice in his head tormented him.

Akuma let out a deep sigh, she rarely told that story, and never before to a stranger. She looked at Nao Shin, her eyes searching for an answer in his expression. She found herself wanting his advice, could he help her? Could he give her the answer that she needed?

"That's amazing!" he stared at her with admiration, "You shouldn't be alive! But you are! You have a soul, you have power, you have this life that no one expected!"

She sighed, "But what do with this life?"

As Shin looked at her he saw the wounds that were deeper than he could heal. As much as he admired the broken woman before her, he felt like opening those wounds, and pulling out all of the knowledge of her would ruin her. He could help her, "You know you look different,"

Her head jerked over to him, "What?"

He grinned, "There were drawings of you, and Aizen and the King of Soul Society...now that I think about it you and Aizen weren't drawn right at all,"

"How did Yuki look?"

He frowned and glared at his nose, "Something like this,"

Akuma chuckled, "What about me?"

He thought for a moment, "You drawn like a ghost. Very thin and there were stories that you floated everywhere,"

Her smile grew, "What about Kyourane?"

He felt a catch in his throat and coughed before speaking, "She is a short, seven year old child," he nodded seriously.

Akuma had to hold her stomach as she laughed.

Shin frowned, "Is that wrong? How does she look?"

Akuma took a few breaths, "You haven't met her?" Nao shook his head, "Well I wouldn't want to ruin the surprise. Your face would be priceless,"

The two stayed up longer, talking their thoughts out. An unspoken connection between them began to form of admiration and trust. But lurking in the back of Akuma's head was why Yuki had not told them about him, _why would she hide a new espada?_

Soul Society: First Squad

Chou yawned and wiped the sleepy tears from her eyes. It had been a long day and she was grateful to be able to rest peacefully in her bed before anything started. As she thought about the meeting she couldn't help but remember her disappointment.

In the meeting she saw a figure walk past the door to the room in Soul Society. She had hardly seen them, but it made her entire body contract. She felt relief splash over, she felt loneliness engulf her; she felt happiness warm her. Chou had spent the rest of the meeting trying to engrain a memory of the figure in her head. She had never seen him before, yet it felt like she had seen Michi. She was overcome with emotion and sensations. Her entire mind seemed fixated on this mysterious man. She had come back to Soul Society as fast as she could in search of the man, but it seemed as though he didn't exist.

She pouted as she brushed through her light purple hair. _Who were you? Are you real? _

_**Are you starting to imagine things?**_

She sighed and rolled into bed, maybe Bakemono was right. Maybe she was imagining things. Chou pulled her tired body into bed, shivering against the chilly blankets. It didn't take long for her to fall asleep, to her dreams.

* * *

She was somewhere she didn't recognize, the human world maybe? Everything was gray in the city around her. She walked around the cold, grey city not wanting to look at anyone; their faceless stare. She walked across a crowded street, just walking and walking without purpose. Where was she? What was this place she was living in? Why was it such a city full of people, but lifeless?

She turned around at the sound of a girls laugh. Chou ran toward the laughter. Something in this lifeless place was filled with enough life to laugh. What was she laughing at? At the people in this world? Was there something here that Chou couldn't see? Colors behind the gray?

She pushed through the crowd of uniform suits; her only hope was to find what the girl had found. She wanted something to laugh at, something to take away the gnawing dread in her.

Chou turned a corner into an alley and stopped in her tracks at the girl before her. She was the only thing colored in this world. At first Chou saw herself, a reflection of her own image, but it was different. The girl before her tied her long lavender hair into loose braids on her head.

Chou fell to her knees at the realization of who it was before her. _Michi. _Chou choked back the tears that welled to her eyes to see Michi all grown up.

Michi was looking up at the sky, took a deep breath, and grinned.

"Michi," Chou's voice only came out as a whisper. Michi's head turned to her, but her eyes didn't see her. Michi looked around, confused. She shrugged and walked past Chou.

Chou heaved in air, she couldn't believe what was happening. _Michi can't see me…Michi..Michi…_she felt her fear take over, _ what am I supposed to do? _She pulled herself up and struggled to follow her. Her limbs seemed to made of syrup. She moved slower and slower, "MICHI!" she felt the cold tears stream down her face as she watched Michi blend further and further in the crowd.

Chou looked to see that her legs had turned into stone. She sobbed as she lost the will to fight against the stone that her body was turning into. It didn't take long until her entire body was covered in the stone. She couldn't see, she couldn't move, but she could hear the world live outside of her prison.

She heard the words of Yuki, planning for her next great deed to unite the worlds.

She heard the words of Akuma, the soft way her words flowed, yet carried such heavy weight.

She heard the cries of Hitsugaya, she could hear the pain in his voice.

She heard the words of Raiden, his apprehensive confidence to reach the heights of his sensei.

She heard the words of _who?_, his words were clear. She almost heard his voice in her head, speaking soothing words. Words she didn't understand, but words that made tears well in her eyes and her throat constrict.

She heard the words of Enkimura, "Kyourane Chou?" she couldn't respond to him. She could only listen, "Why is it that you are trapped within yourself?"

_What?_

"What is it that holds you back? Why do you fear the world?"

_I don't fear anything!_

"Why are you hiding? Why are you listening to others? Shouldn't you listen to yourself?"

_Myself?_

"The royal King of Soul Society..."

_King_

"Who was it that took Yammamoto's power from him?"

_Yuki killed the King..._

"Who was it that strung together their forces to avenge an untimely death?"

_Michi..._

"Who was it that rebuilt Soul Society from the ashes that Yuki left them?"

_...the King.._

"Who is the King of Soul Society,"

_I am..._

"Who are you?" she felt the stone begin to crumble away from her body.

"Kyourane Chou,"

She jolted awake in her bed, her eyes still heavy from the dream.

"Who are you?" It was the same voice from her dream, the voice that made her realize who she was. She looked up at the dark figure and let her hand fall into his.

"Kyourane Chou, the King,"

* * *

_How long as it been? Days? Years? Centuries? I don't know anymore. Time seems to move at whatever speed it chooses. No matter how much I protest, it still moves in its own way. I stopped begging a long time ago. _

_There has been a face that I see more and more lately. Light will shine on me and I see the face of a person. I sometimes wonder what it is they think of. Their visits in my mind seem short lived as it goes black so fast. The dark seems to always last longer than their face. What I wouldn't give to hear. I can see their mouth moving, but I can't hear them. I want to speak with them. I feel like there is so much that I need to tell them, yet I don't know the words. Can I speak? _

_I can't even move._

_What am I? I am only capable of sight, yet why can't I seem to see anything. I see the colors and the shapes...but I don't see. I don't understand the images before me. I can't understand them. I don't have a mind. _

_What am I?_

_How long will I be kept to this state? Will the face save me? Will they give me a mind, will they give me words and ears? Or am I destined to watch the millennia pass by...alone?_


	9. Chapter 9: Past Interlude 3

Okinawa a Long Time Ago

Kaoru couldn't help but smile at Shiori as she laughed with their friends. Since starting college they had made several friends that they spent time with regularly.

"Shiori, I don't know what you see in him," Shiori's friend Nami enjoyed teasing him, "He isn't crazy smart like you, he doesn't have many skills," she grinned mischievously at him, "It's amazing he has a job if you ask me,"

Kaoru smiled, maybe at one point her teasing had hurt him, but that was long ago.

"Nami you just don't see what I see in him," Shiori placed her hand on the back on his neck, scratching softly on his hairline.

"Yes Nami you are too hard on him," Kaoru's friend Timo smacked Kaoru on the back, "he obviously has something for the amazing Shiori to fall for him on day one!"

The group laughed and talked as they ate their food. They told stories, they made jokes; the whole while Shiori held his hand.

Kaoru was nervous as he left, there was so much on his mind. As he watched Shiori play with their friends he was overwhelmed with love for her. She was so beautiful in the night air. Her smiled seemed brighter than ever. Suddenly she looked over at him, he felt his heart jump out of his body. Her eyes seemed so alive as she looked at him.

"Kaoru!" she waved at him to come follow them. He melted as she said his name. He wanted to cherish her voice, he never wanted it to change.

"Kaoru!" he felt her hands grab on his wrist, sparks flew through his body and he fell to his knees holding her hands tenderly.

"Shiori..." he looked up at her to see her face pulled back into shock, he smiled fondly as he touched the plain gold ring on her finger. He only had moments to think about their first anniversary, if she still loved him after all of that..."Will you marry me?"

Nami and Timo gasped as they heard him ask.

Shiori was shocked at the sudden proposal. It seemed to have come out of nowhere, but why was she thrilled? It wasn't romantic, it wasn't a large event with flower and candles. It was exactly what she expected from Kaoru. It was just another reason that she would say, "Yes!" tears rolled down her face as she watched his face brighten. She laughed through the tears, "I will marry you,"

Kaoru stood and scooped Shiori into a hug. He had never felt such happiness in his life. As he set her back on the ground he smiled at their friends that were softly clapping.

Shiori was excited, how long had it been since she thought about a wedding? She wanted a white fantasy with beautiful flowers. She wanted her family to be there, she wanted to walk down the aisle and see him waiting for her.._.I guess I have to start planning...but testing is coming up in school...maybe we will have to wait for the semester to be over...but Kaoru has work over the breaks...will we wait until we graduate? Will we be engaged for that long?_ As she thought about it she realized she didn't want to wait, she wanted to marry him right now. She didn't think she could bear the thought of not being with him for much longer.

"Kaoru?"

He turned to her, "Hmm?"

"Let's get married tonight,"

This time it was Kaoru that was shocked, "How?"

Timo grinned widely, "Aren't you two fortunate that I have good news!" he shuffled through his bag and pulled out a blank certificate, "I was approved to officiate weddings this morning. I was going to tell you guys later...but I suppose the timing works out!"

Shiori's face lit up, "What do you say Kaoru? Want to get married tonight?"

He furrowed his brow, "What about our parents? What about our families?"

She grabbed onto his hands, "This wedding will just be for us. We can do a formal one later, but think about it Kaoru. If we wait, how long will we be waiting?"

He nodded, she was right. They would be engaged a long time before they would have enough time to a wedding properly. Besides, seeing Shiori so eager to marry him made him happy, "Then why don't we do it," Shiori jumped in excitement, "But, we are going to do this right! You and Nami go out and get some dresses. Timo and I will go out for some nice clothes,"

* * *

Shiori was distracted as she went shopping with Nami. She couldn't help but remember their first year together. She twisted the gold ring on her finger and thought of when they finally exchanged gifts. He had handed her the small gold box and told her that he loved her. Before she opened it she could feel the tears threatening to spill from her eyes. He had bought her a ring. A plain, gold, beautiful ring. She could still remember the happiness she felt, quickly followed by her embarrassment as she thought about her gift to him-

"**Shiori?**" Nami was shaking a dress in front of her, "What about this one?"

Shiori grinned, "I'll go try it on,"

* * *

Timo sighed frustrated, "All of the suit stores are closed at this time...maybe we should just try to find something here,"

Kaoru nodded and followed him into the store. There were able to find a few things suitable, but Kaoru was lost in his memories. Shiori had tried to take her gift back after seeing his. He had put a lot of heart into her ring and he knew that she wouldn't be as serious as he was. He looked forward to her gift. He knew he would cherish it no matter what was in it, but she didn't know that. When he was finally able to open the gift he burst out into laugher. He couldn't help it. "_You know I hate it when you sneak up on me...this way I can hear you coming..."_ She was so cute the way she pouted as she explained her present-

"**Kaoru?**" Timo waved his hand in front of his face, "How is this?"

Kaoru nodded, "It's perfect,"

* * *

The met up an hour later in the park.

"Where's Shiori?" Kaoru asked excitedly as he straightened out his new clothes.

Nami shook her head, "You can't see the bride before the wedding,"

Everything was in place, Kaoru was standing with Timo beside him, Nami stood only a few feet away. He took a deep breath, this is it.

Nami began to sing, "Here comes the bride...Here comes the bride..."

He could see her. She was in a long white, thin dress with her hair laid loose across her back. She held a few flowers in her hand as she walked toward him. He felt like she couldn't have made it to him fast enough. He reached his hand out to her and as she touched him, he felt his world shift. He was about to begin his life with her, officially.

Timo spoke slowly, it was his first wedding and it was for his closest of friends. Friends that made him believe in love, "Do you Kaoru take Shiori to be your wife?"

Kaoru took one last look at Shiori before he said yes. He would remember the way her eyes shined up at him, "I do,"

"Do you Shiori take Kaoru to be your husba-"

"I do," she blushed at her own excitement. She wanted to be married already. She wanted the world to know that she was the luckiest girl in the world. That she had found her soul mate so early in life.

"Then I now pronounce you Man and Wife. You may kiss the-"

Kaoru pulled Shiori close to him and kissed her with all of the love that he could feel.

Timo and Nami clapped softly, Nami wiped tears from her eyes.

"Ah Kaoru," Shiori wiped tears from her own eyes and pushed a ring on his finger.

"Where did you get this?"

She smiled and lifted her own ring, "Since you got me one I wanted us to match,"

Several Years Later

Shiori took a deep shaky breath, she didn't know what she was so nervous. Today wouldn't change much of anything in their relationship. It was just a formality…she tried to tell herself.

"Shiori-chan!"

Shiori turned around to see her closest friend from college, "Nami! I'm so glad you're here!"

"You look so pretty! I'm so glad we went with that dress," Nami tried to dry the tears welling up in her eyes, "I know we've done this before but...you two are just so inspiring..."

"Thank you for everything you helped me with, I don't think I could have done any of it without you,"

Nami frantically waved her hand in front of her, "Stop being thankful, I'll ruin my makeup!"

The two woman laughed for a moment, "Nami, I'm nervous,"

Nami let herself drop on the couch in the room, "Oh please, you and lover-boy have been together forever! You two have been married for a while anyways...don't be so nervous," Nami plucked up a glass of champagne and lifted it in a small toast, "To Tachibana Kaoru! May you now have a formal wedding with the only man that deserves you!" she drank down the glass and smiled at her friend.

"Thanks Nami, you're right. I shouldn't be nervous. I love Kaoru and he loves me. Nothing changes today, it's just a formality,"

The Grooms Room

Kaoru was also feeling fairly nervous, he was pacing back and forth in his room stopping only to make sure his hair still looked right.

"You're making me nervous will all of your pacing!" Kaoru's best man was laying on the couch with his hand over his eyes.

"Timo, what if she realizes that she doesn't like me anymore?"

The man on the couch, Timo, sighed heavily as he lifted himself up to a sitting position, "Why even say something like that? You know that Shiori-chan loves you. You guys have been together for more years than I can count. You have been married for a while anyways so there is no reason to be nervous. Just take a deep breath and have a drink, please,"

Kaoru felt a little better. Timo was mostly right, he wasn't really afraid of her leaving. He felt like she would never leave him as long as his heart was hers. He was just nervous of the day not going the way it was supposed to. He wanted Shiori to always remember their wedding day in the same fond way they remembered their first wedding.

He took off his bowtie and unbuttoned the top button of his shirt, a small bell dangled around his neck. The soft jingle relaxed him into the memory…

He brought his hand up to the small bell wrapped around his neck and took a deep breath.

"Tachibana-san? The hall is ready to begin the ceremony,"

* * *

Kaoru was standing at the front of the chapel. All of his colleagues from work were there, his parents, his older brother, his in-laws and all of her friends were all there. He took a deep, shaky breath, his nerves coming back to him now that the time was so close.

The music started to play and the doors opened, he felt his heart start to beat as the guests of honor walked in. He wanted Shiori to walk out, he couldn't wait to see her in a wedding dress.

The music changed and everyone stood. _This is it. _

He couldn't help but let his heart stop beating. She was so beautiful. Her dress was strapless and fashioned in a way to make her look like a princess. He smiled as she gave him a playful wink. He didn't think he could ever love her more.

It seemed like it took hours for her to walk to him. He finally held out his hand to her, their skin tingling at the long awaited contact.

"…in sickness and in health, till death do you part?"

He looked down at the rings on their fingers, Shiori didn't want to get a fancy ring, she thought the sentimental ring he had gotten her years ago was more special than any diamond.

Shiori looked up at Kaoru, he felt his soul almost get lost in her eyes. He couldn't imagine this world without her. He had already told her yes. He had already said "I do," the tears welling in his eyes. Now it was Shiori's turn. She smiled the sweetest smile he had ever seen, it was the kind of smile that made his heart melt and beat twice as fast at the same time, "I do," he pulled his wife into a kiss. It was the kind of kiss that could only feel right.


	10. Chapter 10

Hitsugaya was finally back in his office. His welcoming back to Soul Society was short and mostly involved Rangiku getting drunk and slurring about how worried she was about him. Now it was just him, the 7th squad captain, left to his thoughts. Ever since he was close to death at the warehouse, his vision of Yuki seemed to change.

When he saw her in Las Noches, he loved her. But it was a different love. It wasn't the love that he had always felt. It wasn't the love he thought of when he saw her sleep, it wasn't the love he saw when he protected her from pain. It was as if he was remembering a love. A faint distant memory of feelings he had felt.

He felt empty in a way. What was his drive? What was it that he was doing here? He was no longer striving for Yuki. Had he finally let her go? Was he really just able to move on?

He didn't think it was possible. He had been in agony for two years yet after one visit to the human world, he was fine? It didn't make sense. But did he want to go back? Did he want to be teetering on the edge between sane and crazy for the rest of his life? Could he really call himself alive as he wasted away hoping that Yuki would come back to him? He didn't think he could handle a life like that. But could he live like this? This empty confused existence?

He sighed and brushed a hand through his wild hair, maybe it was time he let her go. He could forget all of his pain with time. Perhaps he could live with the fond memories of her. The way she smiled when she wanted something, the way she fearlessly took down her enemy, her calm face as she mediated- he felt his whole body shake. He could feel himself wanting to be with her again. Hitsugaya shook his head, not sure of what he wanted. He wanted to sleep.

He wanted to dream.

He wanted to relax, and think of anything but her...of Yuki.

The Lab

Szayel Apporo had been working late into the night. He had almost forgotten that Nao Shin had seen his secret. He would need to be more careful. He didn't want to risk Yuki learning of his plan before he could make it perfect.

That being said, he didn't think it would be much longer before he could show off his work. He opened the cabinet to see his secret. He was regenerating rather quickly, now along with the eye in the tank there was a head forming around it. It was still loose and empty, but it was happening. Szayel Apporo grinned at the thought of bringing him to Yuki. She would praise him and tell him of what a wonderful job he had done.

Szayel Apporo was so distracted with his creation that he didn't even notice the shadowed figure appearing behind him.

"Szayel Apporo...what a surprise to find you here..."

For a moment Szayel Apporo believed that it was his secret that spoke to him, but then his vision went black and he felt his body hit the cold ground.

Las Noches

Nao Shin was jolted awake. His body was shaking in fear and he had broken into a cold sweat. His blood was pulsing so fast through his body that he thought he was near death. His breathing was fast and short.

He couldn't understand what was happening. He was sleeping dreamlessly, yet suddenly he heard the voice sobbing. Then it suddenly screamed and he was jolted awake. It was a scream of pure fear and anguish. The voice was in danger.

Yet it had been quiet since jolting him awake. The voice seemed to be gone. _Where are you? _

No answer.

He was alone. The voice was gone, _dead? _He would no longer be tormented by the voice, he was free. Why did he feel so scared? What was his place without the voice? What was he doing here if not following the voice? What was the point of him being an espada if not looking for what the voice was? Now he had nothing, there was nothing for him to do here. It was-

_**Help me...Nao...save me.**_

It was only a whisper, but he heard it. The voice was scared, and quiet because it did not have the strength to scream again. He needed to find the origin of the voice, and save it. This time without the guidance of the voice. He didn't know if he could do it, but he would need to. The voice was his only anchor, he could not abandon it.

Soul Society

Chou was walking behind the man that had shown her the truth. Her eyes were still heavy, she wondered if she would fall asleep again. The man held onto her hand gently as he led her through the dark hallways.

Her mind was heavy, she couldn't think without becoming tired. She wanted to go back to bed. Where was he taking her that it had to happen now?

"Kyourane Chou?" the shadowy man turned around and she recognized him as Enkimura.

She felt no fear, he had shown her a truth that she needed, "Hmmm?"

"Who are you?" he moved his hand slowly to his sword.

She smiled softly, the question was comforting, "Kyourane Chou..."

"Who were you before that?" he pulled his sword from his sheath.

She looked at the ground, "Sh-Shihoin Michiko..."

Chou was suddenly being pulled by her hair, her mind telling her that she had gotten in trouble with the nanny once more. She felt tears well into her eyes at the pain in her scalp. She was being pulled across the floor, her hair was a leash. She felt a sharp pull on her head and suddenly fell to the ground, her head throbbing in pain. She looked up at Enkimura, his face morphing with her old nanny. Her long hair clenched in his hand. She felt tears pool on the ground, _Not again. _

Las Noches: The next Morning

Yuki could feel the large hands grasping her arms, she was being shaken awake. She squeezed her eyes closed tighter and fought the alertness that she felt filling her.

"Sensei!"

She sighed and held back her irritation, "What is it Raiden?"

She could hear him take a breath of relief, he must have been trying to wake her for a while, "There is a very angry person here..."

She furrowed her brow, still refusing to open her eyes completely, "What are you talking about?"

"Soi Fon-taicho is here...with Szayel Apporo...as a hostage..."

Yuki quickly jumped out of her bed. She couldn't allow Szayel Apporo to be in danger.

Entry Room

"WHERE IS SHE?!" Soi Fon's usual quiet demeanor was gone, she was angry. She held Szayel Apporo with her deadly zanpaktou pointed at his neck. Her patience was growing thin, "MINJI YUKI!" she pricked Szayel Apporo with her zanpaktou, the black butterfly stretching across his neck. The arrancar that had gathered in the room all panicked.

"That is quite enough Soi Fon-taicho!" Yuki walked in briskly, her buttons pushed, "Where do you come off trying to murder my most treasured scientist?!"

Soi Fon held Szayel Apporo closer to her, the point of her zanpaktou getting dangerously close to his neck, "Where is King Shihoin?!" her eyes pierced Yuki with dagger like precision.

Yuki was taken aback, "What are you talking about? Kyourane went back to Soul Society yesterday,"

Soi Fon reached behind her with her free hand and threw purple hair on the ground, "Then explain why she is missing!"

Yuki didn't know what to think. She honestly didn't know what happened to Chou, where could she be?

"Yuki..." Szayel Apporo whispered, terrified of how close his death was, "I may be able to help..."

Yuki glared at Soi Fon, "Would you please release my subbordinate? I will swear on my father Aizen Sousuke that I was not involved in her disappearance,"

Soi Fon quickly pushed Szayel Apporo away, her zanpaktou still in shikai on her arm.

After a few breaths Szayel Apporo began to explain what had happened.

"So you were knocked out?" Yuki's arms were crossed in front of her trying to piece the situation together.

"Once I came to, I looked around the lab to see if I could discover anything and I found the Kui scrap was burned to ashes," Yuki raised her eyes, "It seems that Kyourane-san had a good reason to fear the scrap being in Las Noches,"

Yuki sighed, "Give me your hypothesis Szayel Apporo, tell me what happened,"

Szayel Apporo thought for a few moments, "It seems that the scrap taken from the warehouse was embedded with some type of door way that allowed Enkimura to come to Soul Society without being detected. It seems as though he had taken Kyourane-san back with him..."

Soi Fon punched her fist into the wall, her body shaking with rage. It was her duty as the captain of the covert ops to protect the Shiohin family, and Chou was the only one left with that name. She felt like she was failing Yourichi, she couldn't protect the blood of the only person she had loved. She turned to glare at Yuki, "Minji, Aizen, Yuki you will bring King Shihoin back! Or so help you..." she took a step closer to Yuki, her hand extended to point her deadly zanpaktou toward her.

"So help you what?" Yuki took a step toward her, the blade only centimeters from her chest, "Why is it my duty to save your King?" she could see the blood pulse through Soi Fon's veins, "My only duty is to kill Enkimura. I don't need to save anyone!"

"Minji!" she struck her on the chest, the butterfly spread across her.

Yuki didn't flinch, "You have no power here Soi Fon-taicho. I suggest you take your anger out on your Vice-Captain...oh that's right, Omaeda died during the Collapse didn't he?"

Her rage taking over she pushed her Zanpaktou into Yuki's chest a second time, _how dare you mock me._

Yuki grinned, "Didn't I just tell you that you were powerless?" the hagyoku began to pulse rapidly, the butterflies melting off of her body, "You don't have the strength to kill me,"

"Yuki!" Akuma quickly pushed the two apart, her glare pointed hard at Yuki, "You crossed a line," she turned to Soi Fon, "I will come back to Soul Society with you and begin the search for Chou. Szayel Apporo will come as well," her gaze came back to Yuki. Her face was hard and unforgiving.

Yuki sighed softly, it was clear that Akuma didn't agree with how she had handled the situation. But a Queen has to hurt her subjects sometimes, "The faster you find her, the faster we can find Enkimura...and end this," with that Yuki turned and left.

Soul Society

Akuma sighed as she realized that she had ended up getting involved in this war that she was planning to leave. She didn't know what came over her. Was it seeing Szayel Apporo's life threatened? Was it seeing Soi Fon lose control over herself? Was it her own pain at hearing Chou had been taken by the enemy?

She ruffled her hair, annoyed at the fact that she was here.

"Shima-sama?" Szayel Apporo knew Akuma only as his once superior. The name made her skin crawl.

"Just call me Akuma please,"

He sighed, "Can I confide a secret to you?"

She had never seen Szayel Apporo so concerned, she thought maybe he had withheld some information on Chou, "What is it?"

He opened the door to his lab in Soul Society and motioned for her to follow him. He locked the three locks on the door and silently walked to the cabinet in the far corner.

"Szayel, what are you-" her words were stopped as he opened the door. She fell back on the table, the shock too great for her to stand. She couldn't believe he had _this _secret. She was so shocked her mind was blank at the sight, she couldn't even question what she saw.

He closed the cabinet softly and looked at her with a serious face, "This is my secret, this is our secret,"

* * *

Akuma left the lab. She had stayed and spoke with Szayel Apporo, but she didn't have the emotional strength to stay any longer..._not with that. _She walked down the long hallway, her head becoming noisy now that she had time to process what she had seen. She knew she didn't really have a reason to be, but she felt terrified at his secret. If he was successful...when he was successful, would _it _work the way he wanted? Would _it _even understand what had happened?

Her thoughts became quiet; her steps halted as she heard a familiar jingle at her feet. Akuma turned her head down and saw a red ribbon with a small bell attached to it. She felt like it was something she had seen before...yet she couldn't place.

She reached down to touch the ribbon, a jolt racing through her. She picked it up and tried to desperately remember where she had seen it before. _I don't know. _She dropped the ribbon, a large thud coming from it. She started walk away from the ribbon, a nagging voice telling her to go back for it. She felt like she had left a part of a soul behind her.

Akuma stopped walking, stomping her foot on the ground. She turned back toward the ribbon and sighed as she went to pick it back up and shoved it in her pocket.

_Why am I carrying this stupid ribbon...it's not even green._

Las Noches

Raiden walked with heavy steps down the hallway. He was trying to think about Chou's kidnapping...but he was distracted, _Nao Shin! _Raiden had seen the way he talked to Akuma. The way Akuma had talked to him. She opened up to him! Why did always push him away but talk to a stranger like Nao Shin?! He had been by her longer. It was Raiden who tried to show her that she was alive! It was Raiden who showed her that she wasn't alone! Yet it was Nao Shin who she responds to?! _What does he have that I don't?! Why would she chose him over me?! _

His rage boiled so high, he could feel himself losing control over his emotions, "Dammit!" he forced his fist into the wall, cracks forming from the impact.

_**You must learn to tame your emotions, your rage and your anger will only jeopardize those that you wish to protect. **_

He squished his eyes closed, not wanting to listen to another one of Enkidu's mighty lectures. He always seemed to tell Raiden that what he was doing was wrong...it only fueled his fire.

"Everything okay there?"

Raiden looked up at his father not sure how to respond. He didn't want to admit his feelings for Akuma, or his anger for Shin...but he felt like he was going to burst from his emotions.

"Have you ever heard the story about how Yuki and I got together?"

The question reminded Raiden of the information that Akuma had told Enkimura..._Sensei doesn't love Grimmjow...her hollow side did..._

"She hated me once," Grimmjow grinned at the memory that seemed so long ago, "She was so arrogant of her own powers, yet she hated my arrogance all the same..."

Raiden couldn't help but marvel at him. Grimmjow seemed so aggressive and forceful, yet he spoke of Yuki in a way Raiden didn't understand. The story seemed so real and alive, Raiden could feel the emotions that his father had felt. The fear, the worry, the hunger...it all seemed so real.

Grimmjow gave him two heavy smacks on the back, "The lesson of the story?" Raiden stared at him awaiting the answer, "You have to take what you want...you have to take the risk," with that Grimmjow walked off, no doubt to challenge Yuki to another duel.

Raiden took a deep breath, _I swear to win you over him. _

Human World

Shihoin Michiko woke up in a large bed. _How long have I been asleep? _She rubbed her sleepy eyes when a knock came at the door, "Yes?" her weary voice replied.

The door opened and a man she knew as Murin stood in a suit with a cup of tea on a tray, "Your morning tea Lady Michiko," he gave a small bow, set the cup on the nightstand and walked to the door, "Enkimura is awaiting your presence for breakfast,"

She smiled widely and jumped out of bed to get dressed. She didn't want to leave him waiting for her. She looked at herself in the mirror, her hair was cut short and hardly reached her ears. She pouted at the fact that her parting gift from her nanny was to cut off the hair she had spent so long growing.

"Ah Michiko-chan, how are you liking the house?" Enkimura sipped from his cup and smiled widely at her.

She pulled out a chair and sat down with a plop, "It's wonderful Enkimura-san. I've never been to the human world before and when Otou-san, and Okka-san said I could go to see Enkimura Oji-san I was excited!"

Enkimura gave smile that bordered on the edge of menacing and sincere, "I was too, Michiko-chan,"

* * *

_The days seem to becoming longer._

_The man that brings the light comes more often. I can now hear myself think, do I have a voice yet? I don't think I do. The man doesn't seem to hear me yet. There are times when I think I am dreaming, it's always the same dream. There is a black moon in a white sky, a single creature flying through the air. The creature is slowly dying, it's body being eating as it flies. Is it flying to escape death, or is its flying causing its death?_

_Why does it fly?_

_Why does it run?_

_The man always comes before the creature disappears...or maybe it dies? I wonder if the dream will ever end...or perhaps the man is the dream...I don't know anymore. There are so many things that I am beginning to understand...yet it only seems to open up more questions. _

_I wonder how much longer I will have to wait for my answers..._

_Maybe the man can tell me...why does the creature fly?_


	11. Chapter 11

Nao Shin was ready. He had made up his mind to save the voice that was once in his head. He knew he was crazy. He understood that his logic was flawed, but he couldn't fight that core instinct inside of him. He felt like everything inside of him was screaming for this adventure. He needed to prove his sanity, or solidify his thoughts of madness.

He twisted the gold ring on his pinky, his fondness for the ring seeming to be more and more as time passed.

There was a loud knock at the door, "Nao! Open up!" Grimmjow's voice was rather excited for so early in the morning.

Shin slowly opened the door, "Ye-"

Grimmjow suddenly grabbed him by the shirt, "Listen up fresh-meat, when your Primera calls for you, you should be on your toes and respectful," he pushed Nao aside, "Follow me,"

Shin's outward personality hated Grimmjow, "I have things to do," he turned to walk away.

Grimmjow grinned at the challenge of having someone try to disobey him. He grabbed Nao by the ankle and dragged him smoothly across the floors.

Throne Room

Yuki was rubbing her throbbing head, her life was getting only harder.

"Minji! I brought Nao-" Grimmjow dropped Shin's ankle on the ground. The irritated espada hopped back to his feet and brushed off the dust while glancing at Grimmjow irritated.

"Nao Shin I have a mission for you-"

"I can't-" Yuki stared down at him utterly shocked by his disobedience, "There is something else that I need to do that is-"

Grimmjow grabbed Shin by the collar, his temper threatening to blow, "There is NOTHING more important than an order from HER!"

Nao's own temper was beginning to show as he pushed Grimmjows arm away, "Where do YOU come off trying to stop me?!"

Yuki couldn't hear their arguing over the sound of her own thoughts. From the look on Nao Shin's face it was obvious that he was deeply troubled. Under normal circumstances Yuki would have allowed him to go and complete his own wishing, but she needed him. She didn't have the man power to allow him to leave.

"I will go!" Raiden walked into the throne room, interrupting the fight that threatened to start, "You want to send someone to the Human world with Akuma-san right? I will go!"

"Perfect!" Grimmjow grinned, "We don't need Nao, Raiden is a much more capable-"

"GRIMMJOW!" Yuki screamed out in rage. How dare he try to undermine her, "It is decided already! Nao Shin will go to the Human World with Akuma to find Kyourane!"

"But Aizen-sama-" Nao started to protest, he didn't have time to waste on a matter like this.

"Nao Shin! You came here requesting to be an espada yet now you want to abandon your post?!"

"You don't understand, I-"

"No, YOU don't understand! If we do not defeat Enkimura, this world might cease to exist! And then whatever task you need to complete will be obsolete!"

Nao fell silent as he stared at the ground; Yuki's words sinking in.

"You made a commitment Nao. In return; once you bring Kyourane back to Soul Society alive, I will accept your request for leave,"

Nao bowed deeply and left the throne room.

"But Yuki, Raiden would-" Grimmjow took a step forward, his face bent in anger.

"Don't say another word! Raiden is not the one I chose for this mission and that is FINAL!" with that Yuki stood and left, her head threatening to split in two.

* * *

Raiden was shocked. He didn't understand why he was denied. Could it be that Akuma had requested Shin? Did she beg sensei to not allow him to go? Did she hate him to that extent? Raiden did want to think like that, he couldn't believe that Akuma could feel that way, "Grimmjow do you...?" when he looked up he saw that Grimmjow was no longer there.

* * *

"Yuki, Yuki!" Grimmjow was speeding after her down the hallway, "Yuki!" he grabbed her wrist only to have her rip her arm away.

"What?!" her tone was ugly and cold.

"What was that?! Why didn't you let Rai-"

"Why are you questioning my decision?! What makes you dare to disagree with me?!"

He was shocked for a moment before falling back into anger, "How do you expect me to understand you when you don't talk?!"

"Oh please!"

"You don't talk to me; you hardly come to bed anymore! All you do is sit in your tower alone!"

"Well maybe if you didn't lose your temper over every little thing I wouldn't feel so alone all the time!"

"How do you expect me to know that when you don't take the time to tell me anything?!"

"Grow up Grimmjow! I'm not the naive little girl I used to be! Do you not see the struggles I am facing?"

"WE! The struggles WE are facing!"

"You don't do anything!"

"You won't let me! You don't let me do anything!"

"You can't control your-"

"Don't give me that bullshit excuse. Just tell me you're scared!"

Her voice got small and quiet, "What?"

"I know you feel trapped here! Just go and fight Enkimura! Just go defeat him! ALL of your 'struggle' goes away the moment he is dead!"

"But the Hag-"

"Don't try that excuse! You are afraid to fight him! You are too terrified to go and ruin Aizen's plan that you won't even try!"

There was a moment of silence where Grimmjow realized that it was only him that was angry. Before he could say anything, Yuki sonnido'd away.

_Probably to her tower to be alone again..._

Soul Society

"Have you discovered anything?" Soi Fon's face was worn and tired as she addressed Szayel Apporo and Akuma.

"I examined the scrap, or rather the remains of the scrap from the Human World and discovered that it contained an element that works like a portal. Using that element, Enkimura was able to come to Soul Society without being detected. It seems that he also went back to the Human World with Kyourane in the same manner,"

"So where are they now?" Soi Fon cossed her arms.

"Well I got a signal of Kyourane's reiatsu, so I have the general area but-"

"Where?" her voice was curt and impatient. That faster the King was brought to safety, the sooner Soi Fon's nightmares would stop.

"Okinawa, Japan,"

"I will go," Akuma blurted out the words without really thinking.

"Alone? I can give you men from the covert ops,"

"I've dealt with Enkimura before; if you send the covert ops he will only turn them into shells,"

Soi Fon was reminded of her once Vice-Captain. It was her own blade that ended the life of the shell that Omaeda had become. She didn't know if she could live with allowing more of her men to turn into shells, "Very well"

* * *

"Akuma-san," Szayel Apporo was whispering behind her as they walked, "I am in need of your assistance,"

The Lab

"What is it that you need?" Akuma sat down, her eyes constantly drawn to the cabinet that she knew was holding, _him. _

"His isn't growing fast enough," he furrowed his brow as he looked at the cabinet as well, "His regeneration powers aren't going at the rate I would like…"

"And you need me to…"

"You can create kidou can't you?! I need you to somehow accelerate the regenerating and-"

"No!" she stood up, outraged that he would even ask her such a thing.

"But, you're the only person who can help me! Please Shima Akuma,"

"I have no faith in that thing you are growing back there! I don't think it will work and I don't want to imagine what will happen if you are even able to pull this off!"

"But don't you see? This might be the key to stabilizing the Hagyoku! With his knowledge I could finally allow Yuki to leave Hueco Mundo! He might be able to finish this war with Enkimura once and for all!"

Akuma sighed as she realized that Szayel Apporo was right. _If there is anyone in this world that would know...it would be...him. _"What do you need?"

Szayel Apporo flashed her a grin that reminded her that he was an evil genius as he opened up the cabinet. She called out her zanpaktou, the process not needing any words for her. She gripped the dagger in her left hand and clenched her right fist. It had been a while since she used her shikai and she couldn't help but enjoy the way it felt.

Akuma looked down into the green, bubbly water of the tank. She wondered how she would do what Szayel Apporo asked of her, _how to help him regenerate faster..._

She hesitantly pushed her right hand into the tank, the water was cold and sent chills through her arm. _I hope this works..._

Human World: Okinawa

"Enkimura Ojii-san, where are you going now?" Shihoin Michiko sat on the stairs pouting at him.

"Just for a little while. Don't worry, Murin is going to take you anywhere you want today while you wait for me to get back,"

Murin turned to him shocked, "But Enkimura-sama I-"

Enkimura gave him a hard glare to silence him, "It will only be a few hours, Michiko-chan," with that he left the mansion to her and Murin.

Michiko pouted at Murin, trying to think of what she wanted to do.

"Michiko-sama, we could go out for-"

"I want to go see a sunset!" she grabbed Murin's wrist and pulled him out the mansion.

The Top of the City

Michiko was standing on the rails overlooking the city. Her dress flowing behind her from the soft breeze. Never in her life had she felt so relaxed. The sky was a million shades of orange over the shimmering city. It was an amazing view.

Yet something was missing. She ruffled her hair, ignoring how frustrated she was with its shortened length. She felt so very alone at this spot. Sure Murin was there...but she wanted to share this view with someone else...someone special to her. She turned to Murin and pushed her short hair behind her ears, "Next time I want Enkimura-Ojii-san to come," a smile spreading across her face. She turned back to see the sky beginning to turn purple as the sun finally disappeared over the cities face.

Las Noches

Yuki was in her tower, this headache was becoming more annoying than ever. _What is wrong with him? Why is he trying to do this to me? _

She sighed and covered her eyes with her forearm, she felt like Grimmjow had turned against her. He was going to leave her. Yuki hugged tightly on her knees, _he was right...I am scared._

"But who isn't scared?" Gilgamesh was suddenly in front of her.

"Why am I here? I didn't want to come to my soul room..."

"But I wanted you here...so I called you here. Wine?" he poured her a glass.

"I don't want to talk to you right now. You are just going to tell me how wrongly I am doing things,"

"Why would I do that?" he sat back in his chair and swirled his wine before taking a small sip from it.

"Because I am! Chou was taken by Enkimura...if he kills her the Gotei will rebel against me for sure..."

"Then just rescue her before Enkimura eats her,"

"Akuma is mad at me for how I handled Soi Fon,"

"She doesn't understand what it means to be a Queen,"

"Raiden must be furious that I didn't send him on the mission,"

"That can be fixed with a simple sentence. Yuki my Queen, what troubles you?"

She took a large drink from her glass, "Grimmjow..."

"What he said wasn't-"

"He was right. I'm scared. I'm terrified of fighting Enkimura...of disappointing Aizen. What if I fail? What if he beats me and takes the Hagyoku? I will have failed everyone..." she paused as she let her thoughts sort themselves, "I'm scared that he might know me better than I do myself..."

Gilgamesh broke into a laugh.

Yuki glared at him, "Why are you laughing at me?"

He smiled, "First of all, it is I who knows you the best. But I will say that they Duke may be the second best person," he laid a gentle hand on hers, "But that is nothing to be afraid of. It is something to be thankful for,"

* * *

Yuki opened her eyes and ran down the stairs to her tower. She didn't want to wait too long and hesitate. Gilgamesh was right, she had nothing to fear. Her home was by Grimmjow. She ran through the hall, her blood rushing through her body and her feet took her to his room. She could see the door, it getting closer and closer. She reached out her hand and suddenly stopped before she grabbed the knob. _What if he is still angry...what if he doesn't understand? _Her doubts began to fill her. The idea of him rejecting her sent her into a panic. She couldn't imagine her life here alone. But her body refused to turn away from the door. She wanted to open the door and tell him that he had been right. That she was scared, that she needed him. But she couldn't. She couldn't do anything.

* * *

Grimmjow felt her outside of his door. A person of her high reiatsu would be hard to miss a mile away. He had been laying in bed, his mind apologetic. He wouldn't have said those things to her if she hadn't made him so mad. As much as he didn't like it, Yuki was above him. She was his superior. They were not equals.

He dared not move from his spot. He wanted her to make the decision. He wanted her to come to him, to tell him that she wanted him. She was a prize that he had won all those years ago and he wanted to keep it that way. He wanted her by his side, he wanted to fight alongside her. But he selfishly wanted her to come to him. He needed to hear that he wasn't chasing a shadow. That she wasn't a God like Aizen, but still alive enough to need him. Grimmjow stared at the door, he could almost see her through it. Her hand hovering above the knob, her face concentrating on what she wanted.

He could wait.

He had been waiting for her to come to him for so long that a few more minutes seemed like nothing. _Show me Yuki, show me that you are mine. Tell me that you need me and I will stand by you for as long as I live._

* * *

Yuki felt like she would be stuck there forever; hovering over the decision. To go in, to not go in. Her decision would be the ultimate one. She couldn't leave from here and try and run back to him. If she walked away, it would be the end. If she didn't open that door, she would never call Grimmjow hers again. But if she opened the door, she would never be able to turn back. She would never know anything outside of him. She would no longer be able to hide behind her fears. She would be forced out of them...but she wouldn't be alone.

_He will be with me. _

She felt her hand touch the knob, all of her fears washing away as she pulled the door open to see the dark room. She knew that he was laying in the bed, she could feel him breathing softly. Yuki closed the door and walked with quiet steps over to him.

Without words they looked at each other, all the things they had wanted to say seemed lost as they stared at each other. Yuki felt overwhelmed with emotion as she stared at him. To think her heart had been lost, her home had been here the whole time. She was too scared to see that what she was looking for had been beside her the whole time. She felt the tears well to her eyes and Grimmjow quickly pulled her into his arms. His touch sent the tears down her face, her once composed, bottled emotions overflowing from her. She felt his hand on her head. He was whispering to her, but she couldn't hear it. Instead she felt his voice through her body, the sensation sending her spinning. She nuzzled her face closely into his shoulder, her tears falling down his back, and closed her eyes and felt his reiatsu.

The feeling was so clean and so natural that she thought she had never truly felt him before. The way it pulsed from his body, it seemed almost in sync with hers.

When she opened her eyes she was laying in the bed, his bright blue eyes staring straight into hers. She moved closer to him and felt his arms wrap around her.

_This is my home._

_This is where I belong._

* * *

_I had another dream. _

_The night sky was purple and filled with stars and beautiful clouds. It radiated the light from the Moon in a way that made the night sky seem to shimmer over the world. The sky seemed to arch over the land in a perfect round arch._

_The earth was warm and fresh. The grass was short as it started grow and there was one tree seed starting to sprout. The sky looked fondly at the sprout and blessed it with heavy rains and bright sun-filled days. _

_The sprout eventually became a tree and the earth tried with all its might to grow the tree even taller. The tree grew and grew, but it still wasn't enough. The earth wished to touch the sky. The night sky that arched above the earth was the most beautiful thing in this world and the earth wished to someday touch it._

_The sky looked down at the earth and saw such life and happiness and things that the sky could never have. The sky was beautiful and radiant, but nobody lives in the sky. The sky wished that the tree would grow to reach the sky itself. That perhaps the sky could taste what it was that the earth lived with. _

_And so they struggled to feed the tree, to one day reach what they couldn't have._

_I was woken up by an unfamiliar face. Instead of the man there was a woman. She came close to me, actually only a few centimeters from me. I had hoped that I might feel her, that I might be able to experience something that wasn't where I was now...but I wasn't able to...I still can't move anything. Do I even have anything?_

_I now find myself waiting for her. _

_I now know that there are others outside of the man that cares for me. I feel as though I should know those faces around me...yet they seem like distant memories every time the darkness comes..._

_Perhaps she would be able to tell me if the tree ever touches the sky. If the Earth and Sky can ever reach the impossible. _


	12. Chapter 12

Yuki had awoken rather early in the morning. She had slept enough, it had been short, but it was the best sleep she had since she had come to Las Noches.  
But it was not the time to rest, it was time to finally face her foe, no longer would she allow the hagyoku to control her. It was now the time that she faced Enkimura and put an end to this silly war. It was time for peace.  
She opened her eyes and saw Gilgamesh asleep in this throne and couldn't help but smile,_ can zanpaktou really sleep?_

She quickly opened the door and walked out into the desert, the rest of her soul was a huge waste land of darkness and sand. But it was different now, the land that once resembled Hueco Mundo now had golden sand. The entire desert was golden. She clenched her fists and jaw, _the hagyoku_.  
She screamed at the top of her lungs, Gilgamesh fell to the floor in surprise, "yuki?"  
Yuki stared out into the desert, her eyes fixed on the sand.

"Yuki, what are you doing here?"

Suddenly the sand began to move, and from the movement came a mound, and the mound grew and grew until Yuki could see the figure in the sand.  
Her hollow side was dead, eaten by the hagyoku to gain its power, but the hagyoku could not take form before her, and so it was the body of her hollow, the mirrored body of her own, colored in all gold. Yuki felt her stomach turn at the thought that this might be her own form if she lost to the hagyoku, that she might become consumed by the beast before her.  
She shook the thoughts, she couldn't turn back now, she would face this fight.  
"Hagyoku! I demand your obedience. You will do as I ask of you and you will heed the words of your master,"  
The golden Yuki glared at her, clearly disagreeing with her proposal. The golden Yuki grabbed her golden zanpaktou and drew it.  
Yuki grinned, diplomacy wasn't her strong suit, but a fight she could win, "Gilgamesh, I'm going to need you,"

Human World: Okinawa

Akuma couldn't help but smile at Nao Shin. At first she had been dreading coming to the human world, but after spending a few moments with him, she felt relaxed. They were searching for Chou, but the atmosphere wasn't as serious as she had expected. Perhaps they should have been more serious, but she needed this kind of break. Things had gotten too serious, the idea of Chou being taken by Enkimura was such a burden on her mind.  
"So were you close with Kyourane?" Nao asked as they walked through the street. Nao only half listened to her answer. His mind was uneasy, he didn't have time to be here, he needed to find the voice. But he was stuck here. Being with Akuma made the silence in his mind bearable, but he couldn't allow himself to become comfortable with it. He needed the voice. No, he wanted the voice as much as he hated its constant nagging, he hated living without the voice speaking to him. That voice that brought him so much joy; that voice that reminded him what it was he needed.  
He had to find it.  
It was then that he heard the jingling. It was a soft, delicate noise. A noise so familiar and nostalgic that it made him take a moment to listen to it closely. It seemed to jingle with his own footsteps, jing, jing, it was the kind of sound that made him twist the ring on his finger. He felt so relaxed and so-  
"Nao?"  
He was forced back to reality at the sound of Akuma's voice. He couldn't get distracted like this, he needed to find the voice. The faster he found Kyourane Chou the faster he could find the voice, "Where should we start?"

"Hmmm, Szayel Apporo said it would be a pretty big area...maybe we should split up. I'll take south, you can go north," with that Akuma walked off in the opposite direction.

As Nao walked further and further into the city, there was feeling crawling up inside of him. The city was filled with people walking around, conveniently avoiding him. His evil hollow nature kept them away from him. If he were younger, he wouldn't have hesitated to devour all of these people and fill himself of their power. But he wasn't that hollow anymore.

He was empty.

But not hungry.

As he made his way through the city, the strange feeling wouldn't leave him. He couldn't place his finger on it, but there was something weird about this place. It was a feeling that made his skin crawl and the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. Before he knew it, he was walking up a steep hill. The human world made little sense to him, _why make it difficult to go from place to place...why do they insist on having the large hills that are difficult to clim- _he had reached the top of the hill. The was some type of emotion filling inside of him as he looked over the city. The sun was already setting in the distance, far behind all of the buildings. He felt his entire body stand still as he felt this scene. It all seemed so unreal. He stood there for what seemed like ages as he watched the sun begin to fade behind the horizon. His mind was blank as he experienced the moment. it was a moment unlike all the moments he had previously felt. He wondered if the voice would have spoke to him, if it would have told him to find it.

"Nao?"

He looked over, shocked to see Akuma standing next to him. How long had she been here for him to not notice her. He suddenly felt a wave of embarrassment wash over him, he didn't want Akuma to notice how much he seemed to be attached to this scene, "Let's get out of here," he shoved his hands deep into his pockets and began to walk back down the hill.

Akuma turned back to look out at the sky, the last of the orange was dying out and making way for the deep purples. There was something about this place, this scene that seemed so important. She reached in her pocket and felt the small ribbon. Something about this moment that compelled her to take out the ribbon. She looked down at the bright red ribbon. She didn't understand. She didn't think that she was mean to understand, but part of her understood what it was that the ribbon wanted.

As she walked away from the top of the city, she wondered whose ribbon in was that had been laying in Soul Society. She shook the thought out of her head, it was no longer her problem where the ribbon came from or who it belonged to. She had tied the ribbon around the lamp post, letting the wind take care of its small jingling.

Las Noches

"Raiden, have you seen Yuki?" Grimmjow had been looking for her all morning. It wasn't usual for her to be gone for so long, he was really starting to get worried.

"No, she's probably up in the tower. You know how she is," he walked off, no doubt to go train with some lower arrancar.

Grimmjow sighed, the feeling of dread seemed to not dwell down in his chest. If there was one place he was not allowed to go to, it was up in the tower. But things seemed strange today. There was a part of him that was screaming to go see her. Yet he was filled with a type of fear, if she was up there planning or meditating, she would never forgive him for interrupting her.

"Grimmjow-sama?" one of the arrancar spoke quietly to avoid upsetting the primera.

"What is it?"

"Szayel Apporo-sama is requesting your audience,"

"Which room?"

"Actually...he requested you to come to Soul Society immediately..."

A sick grin stretched across his face. It had been a long time since he had gone there, but why not? Why shouldn't he go see how they were doing without a king?

Soul Society

Grimmjow walked through the garrganta and found himself above the sky in soul society. There were rules and diplomacy for these kinds of visits, but Grimmjow couldn't have cared less. If he wanted to open up a garrganta into Soul Society, then he would. He didn't care what they would say, he could defeat them all in moments.

He went down to the street and began to walk the unfamiliar area. He figured he might just bump into Szayel Apporo, but it seemed like he wouldn't be able to.

"G-g-g-g-g-g-g-" some pathetic shinigami fell over as they looked at him, "GRIMMJOW JAGGERJAQUE!"

Grimmjow just knew that something bad was going to happen. He was going to be attacked. He was just an enemy in the wrong world. He laid his hand on the hilt of his sword, prepping for the indevitable attack.

"No way! Grimmjow Jaggerjaque?!" another shinigami came running up, "THE Grimmjow Jaggerjaque?!"

Suddenly more and more people began to come around. He felt a hint of annoyance spark in his head, _who are these people? Why are they coming around me? _"Oi!" he slammed his arm out, keeping the people away.

"Wow, it's really him,"

"Guy's it's Grimmjow,"

"Woah! To think it's really him!"

He was suddenly surrounded by foreign faces, the faces of people who were once his enemy. He found himself beginning to feel a hunger grow inside of him, the idea that he could use one hand and destroy all of those people around him. They wouldn't even have enough time to scream in pain. It all be over with one simple motion. He felt himself wanting to more and more. _It would be so easy...the pathetic shinigami wouldn't stand a chan-_

"Grimmjow!" Szayel Apporo was running over to him, his face was clearly annoyed.

"Oi, Szayel I was on my way to you when-"

"Oh! Szayel Apporo and Grimmjow!"

Szayel Apporo grabbed Grimmjow by the wrist and quickly pulled him into the fifth squad, "You dim witted cat. Why wouldn't you just go through the proper channels? I swear you always have to draw attention to yourself like this,"

"Eh, shut up already and tell me why you called me here?" Grimmjow crossed his arms as Szayel Apporo closed the door to the lab behind him.

"I want you to see what I am working on before I show Yuki," Szayel Apporo made his way to the cabinet in the back corner and opened up the door, "Ohh! He's regenerating faster thanks to Shima-san!"

"Regenerating? What is it that you are doing?" he fell back on the table as his "experiment" came into view. Grimmjow was shocked at first, unable to believe that Szayel had been growing _him. _

"I found him out in the desert, he was just an eye ball! Can you believe it?! All this time he was regenerating!" Szayel Apporo was pacing as he retold they tale, "So I brought him back and ended up having to bring him here. The other day, Shima-san used some type of kidou on him and now look. He's almost completely finished!"

Grimmjow was grinning, excited at the prospect of having _him _back. How long had it been since he had seen him last?

Las Noches

Grimmjow walked back through the Garrganta into the entry room. His mind was filled with excitement. Szayel had said it wouldn't be long before _he _would be back. It couldn't happen soon enough.

He walked through the halls, ecstatic at how Yuki would react. This experiment of Szayel's was exactly what she needed to cheer her up. He opened up the door to their room, but found that Yuki wasn't there. _Could she still be in her study? _He walked, slightly quicker, to her study, "Oi, Yuki-" she wasn't there either. Now feeling panicked, Grimmjow ran toward her tower, he couldn't fight off the feeling that she was alright up there. Something was wrong with this picture, this wasn't like her.

He ran up the steps of her tower and pushed the ceiling door up to see her collapsed on her side, "Yuki!" he ran over to her. Her skin was cold, but she was breathing, "Yuki!?"

Grimmjow scooped her up in his arms and ran back down the stairs. One of Szayel's fraccion walked by, "Oi! Tell Szayel that he needs to come now! Something is wrong with Yuki!"

Szayel Apporo came running back to Las Noches the moment he heard from Grimmjow. Grimmjow had placed Yuki in his familiar lab, nervously pacing waiting for Szayel.

"Szayel!" he jumped on his feet when he saw him, "She's right here,"

Szayel Apporo quickly began to check her vitals and hook her up to several of his machines.

"What's happened to her?"

Szayel thought for a moment. There were so many possibilities as to why she was the way she was, "She is in a coma,"

"What?! People don't just fall into comas!"

"If I give it my best guess I would say that she in having some type of inner conflict with the Hagyoku...there is nothing I can do,"

Grimmjow bit back his temper. Beating up Szayel, while it would be enjoyable, wouldn't bring Yuki back. He would have to wait. But how he hated to wait.

The Human World: Okinawa

Michiko took it upon herself to sneak out. Murin outright refused to take her to the view she had seen yesterday, and she didn't want to bother Enkimura Ojii-san when he seemed to be really busy as of late. So she decided to go on her own.

It was the right choice. The night air was cool and felt refreshing on her skin, the sky was dark but illuminated by the moon and the stars. The city was lit with the pale yellow street lights.

It was beautiful.

She took several deep breaths as she stared out over the city. She loved the human world. She wished that she could come away to see Enkimura Ojii-san more. She brushed her short hair behind her ear; she hoped one day she could look at this view with him. She knew that Enkimura would feel what she felt as she looked out over the city.

There was suddenly a strong breeze and she heard the softest jingle of a bell and looked over to see a red ribbon tied to the street lamp. She wondered who had tied it there, who had left it there. There was something about that ribbon that transfixed her. It seemed so natural for her to have found it, yet she had never seen it before.

* * *

Michiko laid in her bed staring at the ribbon. She wasn't sure what had compelled her to take it, but something about it made her feel safe. Yet the more she stared at the ribbon, the more she doubted this home she was in, and she didn't like that.

* * *

_There was a new dream. Everything was covered in ice. All of the people in the world were frozen still from the ice. Time itself would have seemed to stop, yet there were those who were unfrozen in the ice. The ice was crying. It knew that its existence would be short, and it cried. It would not be able to stay in this world for much longer. The ice was losing. It was then that the fire drew closer. It was the kind of fire that threatened to destroy everything in its path. And the ice was in its way. The ice and the fire were then thrown into battle, the ice melting and putting out some of the flames, but the flame was too hot to be put out by such a small patch of ice. And so they cried. _

_I am forming a body now. I can't move it yet, but I think it is similar to the man. I hope to be able to one day listen to the man, and converse with the man. I feel as though I will be able to join his world soon. It won't be long before I gain control of my body. I wonder if I have a purpose outside of this dark room, if perhaps I might be able to help the man with his problems...does the man have problems?_

_As the darkness comes over me once again I find myself falling into sleep. Maybe I can ask the man...I wonder if he knows why the fire and ice cry but continue to destroy each other..._

* * *

**I know it was a fairly short update...heh...but not to fear! There is another one on the way! As always don't hesitate to leave me a review and I hope you come back for more. If you are interested in some of my OCs go check out silver-wolfy12 on DeviantART. She is graciously drawing my OCs and I highly recommend it!**


	13. Chapter 13

Enkimura was infuriated. He didn't want things to turn out this way. He slammed his hands into his desk, the wood crackling under his force. He had planned it so well, everything was going perfect; but why did the scrap of paper end up in Soul Society?!

He had left that scrap in the warehouse and made it just enticing enough to have Szayel Apporo want to examine it. It was supposed to make its way to Yuki. He was supposed to have taken Yuki. Yet now he had Kyourane Chou.

He massaged his temples; his anger was something that needed close tabs kept on it. His situation wasn't ideal, but it would work. Things had panned out better than he thought. For one, Chou seemed to be brainwashed. Enkimura wasn't sure what had come over him that night. He didn't need to cut her hair off, but he had. Now the Chou that was here wasn't Kyourane Chou; it was Shihoin Michiko: a child that wasn't abandoned by her family. Enkimura wasn't sure how any of this worked. He wasn't expecting to placate to a psychological mess like her. She was filled with problems that confused him. She didn't remember anything of her time is Soul Society. She forgot her zanpaktou, in fact it seemed to have vanished completely. Having her around had its perks. She didn't resist him, she was easy to watch.

He sighed. _I'm just taking the long road to you my Muse. Don't worry; I will come for you soon._

"Enkimura Ojii-san?!" the former King of Soul Society bounced into view and smiled widely at him.

He put on his best "uncle" face and grinned, "What is it Michiko-chan?"

She blushed slightly at the name, "Do you want to see something beautiful tonight?" she twirled her fingers in front of her.

"Something beautiful?"

"Murin showed me this place…I think you might really like it…." Her voice was timid and soft.

Enkimura grinned at her, "It sounds wonderful, when shall we go? Now?"

She smiled brightly at him, "Not just yet. Closer to sunset," she bounced from the room, clearly happy that she had built up the courage to ask him.

Enkimura's face fell back into its usual scowl; he needed to get to Yuki. He needed her power. His body was starting to deteriorate from the stress. _If only I had the Hagyoku…that would stabilize me…the hagyoku will save me from death….Yuki will save me._

Soul Society: 7th Squad

Things had gone back to normal for Hitsugaya Toshirou. He woke up early, trained with his squad, did paper work, and now he was lying on the roof of his building. It was a habit he had picked up from her. Letting the cool air blow over you as the sun warmed your body. It was the ideal place to meditate and center your soul.

Yet he was far from the blank mind he needed to meditate.

Everything was dreadfully normal. He was living his life as though he felt no pain. Pain he knew that he should have felt. Perhaps he could finally live without feeling pain when he thought of her.

Maybe he could move past her.

Maybe he didn't really love her…

Hitsugaya brushed his hands through his hair. _Things are normal…things are good….yet they are filled with dread._

His mind wandered to the image from his dream. He was floating above the wide open field. Tears were streaming down Yuki's face as she smiled up at him. _Could it be that she has let me go?_

_**What brings you such trouble master?**_

_Hyourinmaru…I feel at peace in the most uneasy way…I feel as though I shouldn't feel the peace that I feel. I should be in pain…_

_**Why would you wish pain upon yourself? Shouldn't you embrace the fact that you are at peace?**_

He thought on Hyourinmaru's words. Perhaps he was right. Maybe it was time that Hitsugaya let go. Maybe it was time that he let Yuki leave his mind all together…

"Hitsugaya-taicho,"

He turned his head to see Soi-Fon standing behind him, "Soi-Fon-Taicho?"

"King Kyourane has been kidnapped. Enkimura has taken her,"

Hitsugaya jumped to his feet, his blood boiling for action. If he could defeat Enkimura, maybe he could understand. Maybe he could find his way.

Las Noches: Arena 4

Raiden had been in the arena for hours. He had heard the news of Yuki, but couldn't bear the thought of seeing her in that state. He didn't want to think that she might die.

Raiden knew he wasn't ready to be the next Aizen.

He was weak.

And so here he was: training in the arena. His legs were feeling weak and his arms were becoming jello, but he wouldn't stop. He kept running; he kept fighting.

_Akuma._

He screamed out and let his body collapse to the ground. He had failed. No matter how much he tried to distract himself, he always thought of her. The way she smiled at him, the way she said his name.

The way she smiled at Nao…the way she said Nao's name.

He slammed his fist into the ground. He hated the idea of her being with him. How long had he waited for her, for her to just leave him?! He had to have her. Raiden couldn't imagine living as the next Aizen without her by his side. He would have to kill Nao Shin.

The words filled his mind in a way that just made sense. All of the pieces fit together so smoothly and so orderly that he was surprised that it took him so long to realize it.

_**You are still a child.**_

Suddenly Raiden was in his soul room. It was a thick bamboo forest set with a heavy fog, and it was hot. He started to sweat the moment he entered. His breathing felt heavy and the fog threatened to pull him down into the soft, wet earth below him.

"Why are you so quick to take what you want?"

Raiden looked up to see the familiar silhouette in the fog, "Enkidu!"

"You have no right to say my name! I was a fool to think that you had grown,"

"What am I supposed to do?! Akuma will leave me! She will leave me all alone!" suddenly losing strength, Raiden fell to the ground; his knees sinking into the earth.

"Maybe you deserve to be alone!" Enkidu took a step forward, he was a tall man covered in hair and only wearing leaves around his waist, "You haven't even spoken to her,"

Without being able to marvel at the shape of his zanpaktou Raiden glared at him, "She only sees me as a child! As family! I will never be anything more to her!"

"You haven't even-"

"There is only one option!" Sweat trickled down Raiden's face as he heaved in the warm air, "I have to make her see me! I have to show her that I am here! I have to KILL NAO SHIN!"

Raiden was suddenly turned on the ground, his back sinking into the earth. Enkidu's foot was pushing down on his chest, "You ignorant child! You are so blind that you can only think of yourself! I have no time for a selfish brat, maybe _he_can straighten you out," Enkidu pushed Raiden further into the earth, his body seeming to fall through the wet dirt until he was entirely submerged.

He was sinking further and further through the wet dirt until he fell onto what seemed like hard clay. He stood in the pitch black; his head pushing into the wet dirt above. _What do I do down here?_

He sat down on the hard clay and closed his eyes. If he knew Enkidu at all he thought that his answer may be found through meditating.

He could hear all the worms crawl through the earth around him; he could hear the heavy steps of Enkidu far above him. Raiden took deep breaths.

Down here, in the bottom of his soul, he felt calm. It was warm, not hot, and it was wet. He could hear the wet earth drip the occasional drop of water into this small pocket of space. He didn't think about Nao Shin, or how he had considered killing him. He didn't think about himself. Enkidu had called him selfish; perhaps his answer was in those around him.

He thought of her, of Shima Akuma. While it took time, he made his way through all of his happy memories of her. If he was going to win her back, he would need to save her from the problems deeper within her.

In all of his memories, she was alone.

Not out casted, but alone.

She left the comfort of other to stand alone. She avoided becoming close to others…she feared herself.

He opened his eyes, now understanding what it was the Akuma needed. Yet he couldn't leave. The room was no longer covered in wet dirt, but it was that clay-like material he had felt all around.

He scratched at his body; an itchy sensation taking over him. His body was covered in the clay-like material around him. It pulled at his skin and clamped onto his body. _Not clay….this is hollow skin._

It was then that Raiden heard the deep laughter inside of his chest, "You have no chance Raiden…this time, you will kill that man above us…I will become your only power,"

His body pushed through the ground above him on its own, the laughter growing louder. Raiden realized that Enkidu must have endured this hell. His powers were a contradiction of themselves. His hollow powers wanting only to be in control, but Enkidu was far stronger…but now Raiden was in danger. Enkidu was in danger.

"Enkidu!" the voice erupting from his chest hissed as Raiden broke the surface of his soul room. Raiden looked down at his body to see that the hollow skin was messily draped over his body. It was thicker in some areas, and non-existent in others. He understood that his hollow was weak. Raiden had only ever used it once…he was more focused on Enkidu.

"I see you found him…" Enkidu's voice was bland as he looked at the state of Raiden, "What will you do Raiden?"

Raiden looked at Enkidu, their eyes locking before his body pulled forward to attack him. Enkidu stood still, waiting for Raiden to act.

He knew what he had to do. He knew what he had to save.

Soul Society: Szayel Apporo's Lab

Things were becoming worrisome. With Yuki's condition, it seemed like he would be more needed at Las Noches to monitor her and make sure she was stable. Yet he didn't know if he could move his secret to Las Noches without harming _him._Grimmjow had yelled at him to make sure that he would return…yet he didn't know if he could do it.

There was nothing he could do for Yuki. She would need to fight this battle on her own…there was nothing he could do to help her. But his secret needed him. His secret could not survive without his constant care and watching. He hated it, but he couldn't stay by Yuki. He was need elsewhere.

He opened the cabinet to his secret. He was a body now…well half a body. He had both arms and his torso was almost complete. _I won't have to wait much longer…we won't have to wait much longer. _

Human World: Okinawa

Akuma was being absolutely silent. Ever since they left from that hill, his mood had been nothing but foul. Nao Shin walked a few paces ahead of her, his hands pushed deep into his pockets and his body was slouched forward.

Akuma knew that there was something he was hiding. There was something about this place that seemed to hurt only him…if only she knew what it was-

There was a sudden pain that filled her head. She didn't understand what happened. Images were flashing before her eyes. Everything was dark, Aizen was looking at her…not Aizen Yuki, but Aizen Sousuke. She was in Las Noches, the original Las Noches. Aizen was staring directly at her, his gaze seemed troubled. She watched as he opened his mouth, yet she couldn't hear any words.

Another spike of pain shot through her head and the images threatened to disappear. She focused as best as she could, whatever she was seeing could be important…and she was curious.

Aizen unzipped his shirt so that his chest was visible; the purple hagyoku was pulsing softly in his chest. He took several steps toward her, her eyes fixated on the hagyoku. She couldn't pull her gaze away, it was demanding her attention and it had it.

**"Akuma-san?!" **

She cursed Nao Shin for paying attention to her now. She needed to see the rest of this scene. Anything about the hagyoku was crucial information to Yuki.

Her body was being shaken and the scene suddenly whited out; the last image was of Aizen's eyes staring down at her with his hand tenderly touching the hagyoku.

"Akuma-san? Is everything alright?!" Nao Shin was kneeling next her body that had collapsed; he was surprisingly concerned for someone so preoccupied.

"I'm fine," she sat up and rubbed the last of the pain away from her head, "It's just a headache," she quickly stood up and brushed the dust off.

Nao stared at her, knowing that there was more to the story than just a headache. He also knew that if he questioned her about it, she would question him. As much as he trusted Akuma, as much as he felt like she could understand his truth, he was too stubborn to admit his insanity to anyone…even her.

"Let's go back," Akuma said suddenly as she stared back at the direction they had come from.

"Back?"

"To the hill where we can overlook the city. If I am ever going to find Chou, I need a high vantage point to feel all of the reiatsu in the city," she began walking, not caring enough to wait for Nao's opinion.

He nodded and followed behind her. Nao Shin couldn't shake the feeling that something had changed. Something had happened to her since she collapsed.

Las Noches

"What do you mean 'You aren't coming back'?!" Grimmjow yelled angrily at the image of Szayel Apporo projected on the screen.

"I have to stay here for _him!_" Szayel Apporo pleaded with Grimmjow.

"Oh so suddenly _he _is more important than Yuki!?" Grimmjow was taking deep breaths. He knew his anger would take over him if he wasn't careful.

"You know that isn't true Grimmjow! There is nothing I can do for Yuki, I told you that she would have to come out of that on her own-"

"YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT HER!" his temper gave way, "As long as you have _HIM _everything is fine! Who cares about Yuki as long as you have -"

Grimmjow's attention was suddenly drawn back to _him. _The body that was regenerating was moving.

"Oh my-" taking notice, Szayel quickly ran over to _him. _

"Szayel…is _he _….alive?" Grimmjow felt a lump form in his throat as he looked at the familiar body move his limbs.

"Not just yet…his muscles are responding to something…his brain waves are suddenly so high…." Szayel Apporo stood over his secret with a furrowed brow.

As sudden as it started, the movement stopped and _he _went back to a suspended body in the tank.

"Well that was weird…" Grimmjow spoke softly, afraid that maybe his voice had woken _him _up.

"It's a good sign. Perhaps _he _will be joining us very soon,"

Human World: Okinawa

"Enkimura Oji-san, hurry!" Michiko whined as she ushered him further, "I don't wanna miss it!" She smiled brightly as she turned to the amazing view she had become so attached to. She was giddy with excitement thinking about bringing Enkimura here. She knew that he would feel the same as she did, that this moment would resonate somewhere inside of him. She would feel it too. It would be as though the world was aligning with all of the other worlds and the stars. It would be something that would make her heart beat wildly and her breath would stop.

Just the thought was making her nervous.

Enkimura was finally there. He was speaking with Murin, no doubt about work. Michiko pouted, he had promised to come with her…

"Enkimura Oji-san?" she tugged on his shirt sleeve slightly.

"Oh, Michiko-chan, I'm sorry what is it that you wanted to show me?" his tender smile made her face feel warm.

She pulled him over to the railing, the sun finally beginning to set over the city. She took a deep breath of the air; the feeling she had grown to love was washing over her body. This scene was taking her away again…yet…was it different than before? Wasn't this the same feeling she had felt the first time she was here? She looked up at Enkimura, hoping desperately that he was feeling what she felt.

He was staring out across the horizon and his eyes were staring at the scene…but it wasn't the same. Her body felt cold as she realized that it wasn't Enkimura. He wasn't the one she was meant to share this moment with. She gripped onto the ribbon in her pocket as she bit back the tears that were threatening to spill over. She suddenly felt lost. Everything she thought she knew was suddenly wrong.

"Kyourane?!"

Michiko's head shot up toward the voice. She recognized the woman before her instantly…but what was her name?

She couldn't think about it for long as her eyes were drawn to the man that soon beside her. His bright, sea foam green hair…his hollow skin. She felt her chest contract, her breathing seemed to stop…time seemed to stop as their eyes locked onto each other. As Murin scooped her up and began to run her away from him, she couldn't help but wonder if he had been drawn there the way she had been. If he was the one…

* * *

_Things are finally beginning to progress. I can feel my body, though it is incomplete. I can feel strength returning to me…yet I have so many unanswered questions. _

_Last night my dream was as follows. There was a woman standing before a mirror. Her reflection was golden…yet the gold wasn't a blessing but a curse. The woman began to cry, while her reflection grinned. The woman fell to her knees, while her reflection remained standing. The woman began to be enveloped by the sand, while her reflection laughed. Suddenly the golden woman was standing before the mirror, her reflection was the woman begin eaten by the sand. As the reflection was almost completely eaten, the golden women broke the mirror…and the woman was gone._

_Not only was there that dream…but I also had a vision. The woman that I had seen before was in my head. She saw a vision of mine…not that I understand it right now…perhaps it was a memory? Maybe that woman will know. I saw myself, or what I can't help but think is myself. The memory seems to be leaving me now…I need to sleep._

_I need to recover…_

_That woman needs my help…before the sand eats her…before the golden woman eats her. _


	14. Chapter 14: Past Interlude 4

"Kaoru?" Shiori could only let out a whisper. Her voice seemed frail in her old age. She placed a worn hand on her love's face, he was still every bit as handsome as the day she first met him. She felt tears well in her eyes as she thought of the day, their 65th anniversary of the day they met, which was also the same day they got married a few years later, their "official" wedding that is.

As she looked at her waking husband, she tried to ignore the tubes and wires coming from his body; she knew that they were the same tubes keeping him alive, as the tubes in her own body. Without those machines whirring only a few feet away, they would die.

"Shiori?" he blinked a few times and smiled at her. It was the same smile he had shown her every morning that he awoke. He brought his own shaky hand to her face and whipped the tears away, "Are you scared?"

She nodded into his hand, "I don't want to lose you,"

He moved his aching body in the bed closer to her and laid his hand on her soft white hair, "You won't lose me. I promised you didn't I?"

She sniffed her tears away, a strength of hers was to only cry for a few moments, "You did promise, but…I just have an aching fear inside. There are so many questions and things that we don't know and-"

"Shiori, I swear to you I won't leave you alone. I will find you. I would never let you live out the afterlife alone," he gave her a small smile and pulled off the small necklace around his neck, the small bell jingling as he moved it, "You take this with you, that way you'll be easier to find,"

She smiled fondly at the small trinket he had held on to all of years they were together, "What if you forget about me?"

He chuckled and then coughed for a moment, "How could I ever forget about you? The mother to my children, the grandmother to my grandchildren? I would have to forget who I am to forget you,"

"Still…" she pulled at the gold band on her finger, "Take this with you," she pushed the ring on his pinky, "So you'll have something to remind you of me,"

He smiled at her, "I love you Shiori, with every part of me,"

Tears welled up in her eyes, but none escaped, "I love you Kaoru, with my entire soul,"

The two stared at each other for a long time. Shiori's mind was at ease with Kaoru's words. She knew without a doubt that they would be together. _He will find me. He won't leave me alone. _

Kaoru's own words turned his mind into fear. He was strong in front of Shiori, he didn't want her to be scared; when in fact he was terrified. What if he can't find her? What if they are separated? He felt fear fill his mind. He worried he would not be able to keep his promise. He would search for her until his soul crumbled, that he knew. He would never stop his search.

_What if she forgets me?_

_What if I forget her?_

They had planned to turn off the machines today. The couple knew that their lives were too unstable to ever truly live again. The doctors came in and asked questions, they said their final goodbyes and prayers for their safe travels. Then they left, the machines whirled to a stop.

The couple didn't say anything. They looked into each other's eyes. It had been a long time since they had seen each other without the tubes and wires. They snuggled close to each other and relived their memories together, the long, wonderful life they had shared.

The day they first met: the world seemed to be aligned in the universe on that day.

Their first kiss: it was that moment that all of their thoughts were real.

Their first anniversary: the first of many wonderful years.

Their wedding: a wild impulse that couldn't have been more perfect.

Their first child: they had brought life into the world.

As the time past, so did their lives. There was no pain, whether they passed peacefully or if the pain seemed to be nothing compared to the love they felt.

* * *

Kaoru opened his eyes and saw his body laying with Shiori on the bed, _I must have gone first. I'll just wait for her here…_

He was patient. He promised he would wait for her and he intended to. The doctors came in, "Time of death?"

"Shiori-san seems to be 4:50 and Kaoru-san looks like 5:15," the two doctors nodded and Kaoru watched in horror as their bodies were taken away, _where did Shiori go?! _

He wished that the afterlife was more known. If only he were taught about what happens after death in the detail he had learned about the water cycle.

He didn't have time to marvel at the wonders of being a spirit. He didn't care that he could move through walls or fly, his mind was frantically focused on one thing, Shiori. _Where could she have gone? _He searched and searched for her, his children's houses, their children's houses, schools, work places, her parent's graves and his parent's graves but he couldn't find her.

As time passed he felt his guilt and loneliness take over him. It was his fault that she was gone, he should have passed before her. She must have been scared to be alone in such a strange way and was hiding. One day, who knows how many days after his physical death, he stood in the place of their first kiss. The light post was flickering on as the sun set over the city he had shared with her. As he stood looking over the city he felt his heart shrink. His guilt and his sadness threatened to devour him. He let his 'body' fall to the ground, the tears no longer willing to be kept at bay, "I'm so sorry Shiori. It's all my fault," he took many shaky breaths as the tears pooled on the ground under him, "I haven't kept my promise to you and now you're alone," his voice was cracking and his 'body' shook as he cried, "I left you alone and I'm sorry!" he screamed and held the ring on his pinky close to him, "I haven't forgotten you, I haven't forgotten, I will find you Shiori…I will…I promised…" his breath became short as his thoughts consumed him, _She's alone because of you, you abandoned her. You let your fear keep you from her. _

"No, no, no! That's not true, I….I….I wouldn't leave her alone!"

_**Kaoru? **_He jerked his head at the sound of her voice.

"Shiori!? Where are you Shiori?!"

_**Kaoru, I'm all alone…you abandoned me…**_

He curled his 'body' up, tears still flowing, he covered his ears with his hands, "No, I wouldn't do that. Shiori I promised to find you!"

_**I'm afraid…**_

He felt a jolt through his spiritual body as it all seized out of his control, "SHIORI!"

…

He opened his eyes and saw nothing. Did he even open his eyes? He couldn't feel the flesh of his eyelids, did he even see anything? It was like an illusion, something he wasn't seeing but feeling.

Suddenly he saw a small flame. It just seemed to appear in the blackness, yet it illuminated nothing. It was just a flame. Yet he knew this flame. It was a flame that was familiar, but how?

From above came thick, white liquid. He didn't know what it was, but it seemed to be filling up this black space. He tried to move but realized had no body. Was he ever there in that black space? Was part of him was seeing?

He watched as the white goop draw closer and closer to the flame. He heard himself cry out, _No, please! _

It was no use.

The white goop covered the flame, his world vanished.

…

The next time he opened his eyes, he never remembered having opened them before. He had been reborn into a new life; a life of hunger.

…

He walked among his brothers and sisters. Were they though? Had he known them for very long? He didn't know. So he didn't care. He was still hungry.

…

He had become used to the desert. It was vast and empty, he was alone. He wasn't hungry anymore, not for pests. He needed more, he felt empty. He needed strength.

…

He laid on the desert sand. The black sky was soothing. He held out his hand and stared at the ring on his pinky. He didn't know where it came from, or for how long he had it. He didn't understand it, but every time he looked at it he felt something.

He didn't know what he felt or what it meant. But he felt a stinging in his body. Was it good? Was it bad? Who knows? He kept this ring to be reminded of that feeling. It seemed like the others here in this desert didn't even feel. Was he alone?

_**No, I'm alone. **_

He sighed at the voice. It was a voice that reminded him to keep moving. It was a voice that told him he had something to do, yet the voice never told him what it was that he was to do.

He stood and brushed the sand off of his body and walked. He no longer felt hungry, he realized his emptiness did not come from hunger; he knew he had lost something. The voice had told him that much. He had forgotten what it was that he lost, but he felt compelled to find it. He needed to find it. Only then would this emptiness go away, he hoped.

…

* * *

She woke up startled in her bed, her breathing heavy. She had been having the same nightmare every night since she could remember. For a girl so small and young to have such terrifying nightmares seemed cruel. She was too young to even process most of what the nightmare was, it was just scary. It was dark and sad. She couldn't remember it when she opened her eyes, but she knew that it was the same one she had every night.

The child wrapped the blankets around herself and curled up into a ball. She was so afraid. Of what? Of dreams.

Never once did she have a dream that was pleasant. The mere thought of sleeping without being ripped from her bed by terrifying thoughts was preposterous. Every night she looked at her bed with hatred and fear. It was the only time she was truly alone. Sure, she felt alone through the day, but the nights made it real. It made her realize how alone she was.

While she was too young to remember what happened that night, it changed her life. That night was the last night she ever had a nightmare.

Her eyes were squeezed shut, tears pushed through the corners of her eyes, _it wasn't real, it wasn't real. It was just a dream, it wasn't real._

_**It's ok. **_A voice she didn't know spoke inside her head, _**I won't leave you alone. I'll find you. Sleep easy, I will protect you,**_

The little girl fell over in her bed, sleep taking her in one swoop. She was blessed with dreams of happiness and light, her protector would be forever cursed with the very nightmares he protected her from.

But it was the least he could do.

Kaoru would do anything and everything for Shiori, even after death.


	15. Chapter 15

Human World: Okinawa

Nao Shin's mind went completely blank as he saw her. His entire body seized as her eyes locked with his; the gold ring on his pinky felt hot and heavy. He felt as though time had stopped as he watched her. Her light purple hair that brushed against her ears softly, her pale eyes that seemed to be almost as glued to him as he was to her. He didn't know what to do, he felt like he needed to act; but how was he supposed to respond to something like this? Was he supposed to jump in and pull her into his arms? Tell her that he had finally found her after all this time?

_Could she really be the voice? _

_No…the voice would have surly told me that I found her…this woman can't be the voice I've been searching for. _

While he told himself that this woman wasn't her…he couldn't tear his eyes away from her. He wanted to stare at her forever; even if she wasn't the one…he wanted to look at her; to see inside her soul and hear her speak to him…to say his name. She was suddenly lifted by a man and taken away. He was too shocked to really comprehend that she was leaving.

But her eyes didn't leave his, and his eyes didn't leave hers.

* * *

Akuma was amazed to have found them here. She dropped her hand on her sword, "Nao, you grab Chou. I'll take of Enkimura-" she looked over to see that Nao was in some kind of daze, "Nao?"

"Akuma-chan, how lovely to see you….Murin," without another word from Enkimura, Murin scooped up Chou and ran off with her.

"Chou!" Akuma glared at Enkimura, "What did you do to her?!" she drew her sword, glancing hesitantly at the still dazed Shin.

"Nothing that she didn't agree to," Enkimura grinned widely, "And who is this dumbfounded man that you brought with you?"

Akuma grinned at the opportunity to rile Enkimura, "This is Yuki's new star Espada,"

Enkimura growled, "A star huh?"

Akuma kicked Nao in the ankle, "Oi!"

Finally knocked out of his daze Nao turned to her, "What the hell Akuma?!" he bounced on his uninjured foot for a moment before realizing the situation.

"Nice of you to join us…"

"Nao Shin," he reached to his waist and drew his sword in the face of their enemy. His mind felt wondrously clear.

"Enkimura, enough! Just let Chou go! Your fight is with Yuki!" Akuma planted her feet firmly into the earth. While she hoped to avoid this fight…she knew that there was no escaping it.

"Tsk, tsk. Come now Aku-chan. You know I need you to make my muse see me…I hope you don't intend to fight me without your zanpaktou," he pointed to her unreleased katana.

She sighed, "Become one, Neuth, Gebeb," her kantana suddenly disappeared and reformed into the armor that covered her right arm until just above her elbow and the intricate dagger in her left hand. Without wasting anytime she lunged forward and began her fight with Enkimura.

* * *

Nao Shin watched in disbelief as Enkimura could fend off her attacks with only his hands. _She needs my help. _Nao understood that there was no point in helping if he wasn't going to use all his strength. The enemy before him was the kind of enemy that could only be defeated by the hagyoku, "ellos enganar, Pescador,"

* * *

**Two Years Later**: Soul Society

Enkimura sat in his throne, his loyal Shinigami stood before him, "Where is my muse?!" his patience had been running thin. He had ordered Yuki to be found, yet the search seemed lost.

"She is gone!" Hitsugaya retorted coolly with his arms crossed, "She abandoned Soul Society the moment she summoned Szayel Apporo back to Hueco Mundo. That world is completely locked down, there is no way in,"

"No, no, no, no!" Enkimura stood and grabbed Hitsugaya by the collar, "That isn't good enough!"

Hitsugaya stared him straight in the eye, "It's over,"

Enkimura threw Hitsugaya aside, his veins pulsing red as his anger grew, "It seems that you all have forgotten how serious I am. Do I have to kill ANOTHER one of my hostages to make you realize what I am capable of?!"

Soi Fon bit her lip at the memory of watching Chou killed at the hands of Enkimura. At first she didn't believe that she had died, it all had seemed so fast and strange. But her absence over the past two years made it too convincing. Kyourane Chou had died leaving Enkimura as the new King of Soul Society. Normally the Shinigami would have revolted, but their morals were low and he still held the life of Shima Akuma and one of the only Espada, not to mention the defenseless souls in Rukongai. They had to listen to him, "How are we supposed to find a way into Hueco Mundo when you forbid any use of the spirit doors or anything outside of this world?!"

Enkimura glared at her, "You should be able to find a way!"

"There is no way! We can't make a path to Hueco Mundo without having access to anything outside of this world!"

Enkimura outstretched his hand and slapped Soi Fon across her face, "YOU WILL DO AS I COMMAND OF YOU!"

The Dungeon

Akuma's wrists and ankles were bound with chains. A long chain connected her to the ceiling above. She had been hanging there for what had felt like an eternity. There was no contact with the outside world; she couldn't even see the sky. She didn't eat, she didn't sleep. She was just suspended in this pitch black dungeon. Her body was growing weak, but she refused to allow herself to become defenseless. She practiced her kidou daily. Since she didn't need the incantations or movements it was still possible. But it was getting weaker. She felt herself drained of her reiatsu faster and faster. She wouldn't be able to survive like this for much longer.

She let her eyes rest for a moment becoming completely haunted by the images. She had failed. Her battle with Enkimura had failed. She had lost everything. She had lost Raiden. She felt warm tears slip down her face and tried to push all thoughts of him away. She didn't want to think about him. If he was alright...if he missed her...if he thought she had died.

She just wanted to know what was happening outside of this cell. If the world was moving on...perhaps Enkimura was gone and her cell was forgotten...perhaps she already had a grave stone. Akuma shook the thoughts from her head. Being in this prison was poisoning her mind.

She took four deep breaths and felt her fear and terror melt away. This prison would probably ruin a normal person in a matter of days, but Akuma had faced worse torment than this. Nothing would ever compare to the pain she dealt with Shikkyaku. Enkimura couldn't shake her.

She would survive this.

She would get her revenge on him. She would never forgive him.

* * *

Nao Shin was in a similar cell, but he was hanging upside down by his ankles. It was mostly just irritating. Yet unlike Akuma, his mental state was deteriorating rather quickly...he had seen what Akuma had not. He watched as Enkimura had murdered Kyourane Chou.

They had just come to Soul Society, Akuma had been taken straight to containment as she had lost consciousness. The shinigami were panicking as Enkimura spoke to them. But Nao could hardly remember those words. His eyes were once again glued to hers. Her eyes that were now troubled. She looked at him with worry and regret. Nao understood that he was going to die.

Enkimura screamed out at the shinigami and moved toward Nao to attack; his hand pointed.

He felt tears well to his eyes as the image replayed in his head over again. He had been watching that scene for what seemed like an eternity. His body quivered every time he heard her scream. His throat closed up every time he watched her jump in front of him. His chest threatened to burst as he watched Enkimura's hand pierce her stomach.

"Why..." he didn't recognize the sound of his own voice, "why would you..." his body jerked as he cried. Nao couldn't understand where his pain was coming from, but at this point it didn't matter. He was stuck in a cycle of outrage and despair. He was doomed to watch his worst nightmare for the rest of his life in this cell.

He would never recover.

7th Squad

Hitsugaya could feel the eyes of Enkimura's many servants on him. If there was anyone Enkimura kept a close eye on, it was Hitsugaya. And he knew it.

Hitsugaya Toshirou was prepared. For once, everything was going according to his plan. Enkimura thought he had the upper hand, but Hitsugaya was a few steps ahead. He wouldn't allow Enkimura to escape this time. He would finish it once and for all.

Not for Yuki.

Not for the woman that turned her back on Soul Society.

But for himself.

Hitsugaya was done with being trampled over. He wouldn't depend on Yuki to save them. It was up to him.

"Toshirou," Renji nodded as they crossed paths.

"Renji," he nodded back and accepted the small slip of paper from under Renji's arm. This was the only way the brother of Yuki and Hitsugaya could communicate. Secretly through notes.

To be safe, Hitsugaya didn't open the message until he started doing paper work in his office. It was then that the eyes would be lazy.

Finally at his desk, Hitsugaya opened the note casually, "Need Eyes," was sloppily written on the small note. Hitsugaya sighed as he lit the paper ablaze with kidou. It was a message he hoped not to get. The larger the operation got the more likely Enkimura would find out. It was bad enough that the main members were the ones that Enkimura was keeping his eye on. _But I suppose if he requests it I will have to oblige. _

He left his office walked through the city casually. He knew who he would pick as the next member if he had to choose. And he knew exactly where to find her, "Soi Fon- taicho!"

Las Noches

Raiden stood before the throne of Aizen; the throne he had never sat in while he ruled Las Noches for the past two years. He felt so lost and alone. The empty throne pulling at his chest. Hueco Mundo had been cut off to the other worlds shortly after the death of Kyourane Chou. Szayel Apporo had sent him one last transmission saying that it was for the best and that Raiden was now in control. Grimmjow had been sent on one last mission. One that Raiden wasn't allowed to know the details of. So now it was just Raiden in Las Noches. He kept order in Hueco Mundo and he made sure that Yuki was kept alive.

He hoped she would wake up soon.

Things had become a mess since she fell asleep. Raiden spent hours of every day beside her holding her hand. He hoped that she might feel his reiatsu and win her battle within her. Yet every day he lost more and more hope.

It was just him in this world.

And Akuma was a prisoner.

He didn't have any proof, but he felt it in his gut. The fact that Akuma and Nao never came back meant they had been defeated. Due to the fact that Enkimura was ruling over Soul Society he figured that they might be alive and used as leverage. He hoped at least.

Raiden wouldn't be able to go on if he learned that Akuma had died.

He spent every day thinking about her. Preparing what he would say to her when she returned to him. He had been a fool two years ago. He knew that he had gone about his feelings that wrong way. Enkidu had taught him that much.

He walked into Yuki's room. The walls were bare and she laid in bed, still connected to the machines that Szayel Apporo had originally connected her to. Her face was calm and her body was still.

If it weren't for the slight rise in her chest, she could have been dead.

Raiden sat in his usual seat and held his mother's hand in his own, "Sensei..." no matter how many times he sat in that seat, or took her hand, the emotions flowed over him the same way every time. He was brought to the brink of tears as he felt the even pulsing of her reiatsu, "Sensei," his voice felt small and weak. He would never admit it outside of the walls of this room but, he was scared. He was afraid of the empty throne. He was afraid of the day that Enkimura might come to collect her. He was afraid of learning about Akuma. He took shaky breaths and sniffed back the tears, "Okaa-chan, come back..."

The King's Room

Enkimura sat in front of his mirror. He stared plainly at the reflection of himself; it was a body close to death. Over the past years Enkimura's body was starting to wear away from the sheer power flowing through him. There were too many souls living in one body.

His skin was rough and stretched thin; there was even a small tear in front of his ear. In fact there were tears all over his body. He didn't have time to wait for Yuki to be found. He needed her now. He needed her to save him.

He needed to eat her.

He looked down at the round blue crystal: The Kui. It was finally done. With the Kui he would be able to stay alive. He would be able to stay alive forever with his muse. He would be the all-powerful King and send these worlds into chaos. He had already started –

_**Enkimura you idiot! **_

He opened his eyes to see that his soul room had fallen from the sky. The temple lay in ruins on the dead ground. The sky was red and the ground was burning. His soul was dying.

"Ahhhhh!"

He walked toward the blood curdling scream of Ishtar. She was chained to what was left of the wall but her legs were being burned by the scorching Earth. Her body was covered in the red veins and her eyes were turning black, "ENKIMURA!"

She was dying. Enkimura was sacrificing Ishtar for his own life. For the continued life of his own and Yuki's. She was being consumed by the power that flowed through her, "It seems as though you aren't the Goddess you thought you were,"

She clenched her teeth and muffled a scream, "You don't know what you're doing! You won't be able to handle this power without me! You will be consumed by it if I die!"

He nodded, bored of her pleads, "Well I suppose we'll see if-" his attention was drawn to the broken door. The door that held the other Enkimura captive. He quickly threw it aside to see that the room was empty. The other Enkimura was gone; his chains still hung from the wall. He went back out to Ishtar, his pulse beating faster and faster, "Where is he?!"

Enkimura's anger set the gound ablaze burning more of Ishtar's flesh. She screamed out and clenched her eyes and jaw, "I don't know!"

"WHERE DID HE GO?!" he went to grab Ishtar but pulled back when the veins in his hand turned to match her own.

"I DON'T KNOW WHERE HE WENT!"

His brow was furrowed at his hand, maybe Ishtar's pleads weren't empty after all. He took a deep breath and turned to walk away, "Then he has died, just as you will,"

The Covert Ops

"There is what?" Soi Fon crossed her arms as she listened to Hitsugaya.

Hitsugaya looked around before lowering his voice, "Enkimura says that there is a group of people trying to revolt against him. He wants you to go check it out and kill them…"

"Why should I do anything for that-"

Hitsugaya grabbed her wrist and pulled her away to a more private room, "You have to!"

Soi Fon almost protested but then she saw the look in his eyes. She wondered if it wasn't an order from Enkimura but a request, "Fine. I'll go alone then,"

Rukongai

She walked through the street to the place that Hitsugaya had mentioned to her. She could feel Enkimura's eyes on her, the shells were following her to keep an eye on her, _great, now he keeps track of me as well. _

She opened the door to the rice house to see it had been abandoned. Even so, she checked it thoroughly for anything. She didn't like the idea of Hitsugaya sending her out for nothing. But there was nothing.

She stood outside on the road and sent a butterfly back to the Covert Ops that there was nothing and she would be back soon. As soon as the butterfly was out of view, the shells also seemed to disappear. _They leave once they clear suspicion…? _

"Psssssst-"

She looked at the small house that stood in front of the rice house. _Did that house just-_

"PSSSSSSSSSSSST-"

She walked slowly toward the house and stretched her hand out to the door. She was suddenly grabbed and pulled into the house. The pink haired espada covered her mouth, "Control you reiatsu before the shells come back!"

Calming her initial panic, Soi Fon obeyed and was immediately released, "Szayel Apporo? But you escaped back to Hueco Mundo…"

He smiled widely, "Well actually, I escaped out to here,"

"But Hueco Mundo is cut off-"

"I wish I had more time to tell you all of the details but time is limited. The reason I called you here was to have you prepare for us to take over Enkimura,"

"What do you mean?" she was too overwhelmed by everything happening to question him.

"We need to awaken him," Szayel Apporo pointed toward the back of the room.

Soi Fon gasped at the large tank that had a man floating in it. She felt fear take over her body as she stared at him. He was the most feared of all the espada. She covered her mouth as she felt his name slip from her mouth.

_Ulquiorra Cifer._

Human World: Fuji Mountain

Grimmjow sighed as he looked out over the scenery that would have been beautiful to humans. He hated waiting and Szayel Apporo knew it. He sent him on this mission just to screw with him. Two years Grimmjow has been waiting here. Two Years of no word from anyone. Just the mission, "'Wait at Fuji,' he said, 'I will call you soon,' he said," Grimmjow kicked a rock down the mountain side. His base had been made at the top of the mountain. The humans that were up there quickly left after a few ceros made some rock slides.

It was now just him.

"Grimmjow?"

Well it almost just him.

He turned to the small cabin, "What?"

"Would you start the fire for me?"

Grimmjow sighed his usual irritated sigh, "Really?"

"You know I can't use kidou! I'm sure Enkimura is scouring for my reiatsu!"

In order to stop her nagging he stood from his rock, "Yes, yes right away your highness,"

She pouted, "I told you not to call me that!"


	16. Chapter 16

Hitsugaya fell to the ground his body filled with a rage that he couldn't comprehend. His vision became red and he felt all of his veins pulsing. He looked up from the ground to see Enkimura smiling down at him; that only made his rage have a target.

Earlier that Day: Covert Ops

Soi Fon was in her office; her mind was buzzing from her short discussion with Szayel Apporo. She had a job now, a way to bring down Enkimura. Szayel Apporo had also told her something else...something she had to swear not to tell Hitsugaya. Yuki was in a coma.

Szayel Apporo wanted to keep that information a secret from Hitsugaya. He feared that Hitsugaya would become emotional. Soi Fon was entrusted with the knowledge that Yuki was in a coma; she was trusted to keep that information away from Hitsugaya…the one man who needed to know. Szayel Apporo had some type of reason to believe that Ulquiorra would be able to defeat Enkimura in her stead. Yet he wasn't able to wake him from his sleep.

Ulquiorra's body was ready, yet he refused to come out of his slumber. Soi Fon wondered if he was waiting for something. She knew Ulquiorra to be Aizen Sousuke's right hand; perhaps he awaited his master's call.

She sighed and stood from her desk. As much as she would have liked to stay at her desk, orders from Enkimura never stopped. She was the head "researcher" in charge of finding a way to Hueco Mundo. Now she knew it would be impossible. Szayel Apporo was the only man with the ability to enter Hueco Mundo. Taking inspiration from the late Kyourane Chou, he recreated the Garrganta Jammer. This time it would automatically be destroyed if Yuki awoke from her sleep in Las Noches, but Szayel Apporo held little hope that she would end this war.

It was up to them now.

Human World: Mt. Fuji

Grimmjow was scouting.

Every day he spent hours searching for spies. He knew that Enkimura would look for them and it was his job to make sure they were never found.

He also needed to eat.

He was in the human world too long. His powers were becoming weaker in this world. He hunted hollows. From what he could tell, there was no Shinigami on post here to take care of the hollows, so Grimmjow brought it upon himself. He didn't like to think that he was helping the humans, but rather he was helping himself. The humans were just a byproduct.

The usual human he saw in the small town caught his eye. Grimmjow knew he was supposed to stay hidden, but he wanted to watch the human girl. She had short red hair and worked at the small coffee shop. If it weren't for her green eyes she would be Yuki's twin. He stood in the window and watched her smile and work for what seemed like only a few seconds. He missed Yuki more than he could bear to admit. He had spent hundreds of years without her, yet now he felt like he was alone. He didn't know if she was awake or even alive.

Grimmjow knew that the girl before him wasn't Yuki, but just seeing her smile and live eased some of his pain. He sighed and turned away from the shop; he had spent all of his time watching. _Looks like I won't eat tonight..._

"GRIMMJOW!"

He turned his head, preparing to attack, when he saw her, "WHAT are YOU doing out HERE?!" he quickly tried to hide her from anyone's view.

"Grimmjow, wait no! I need to tell you something!"

He looked down at her and narrowed his eyes, "Wait. Tell me back at the base,"

Soul Society: 6th Squad

Renji still wasn't accustomed to being a captain. He wished it were still Byakuya as captain, but he went to find Ichigo with Rukia. All that was left was him. Even Yuki was gone.

He let his head fall to his hands; the memory of his sister tugging at his chest. He didn't want to believe that she abandoned them. It didn't seem like something she would ever do. No one wanted Enkimura defeated more than she did! For her to suddenly be cut off from her Kingdom...it all seemed fishy. Renji often wondered if there was something that Szayel Apporo didn't tell them. If perhaps there were more to the plan than he or Hitsugaya knew.

Rukongai

"WHY?!" Szayel Apporo knocked equipment off of his desk as he yelled at suspended body of Ulquiorra, "All of your life signs are stable so WHY WON'T YOU WAKE UP?!" he slammed his fists on the table. He glared at the life he had been nursing for two years with such spite and despair, "I SAVED YOU! I did! Me, Szayel Apporo Granz did! Why won't you just wake up?!" he let his body fall into the chair and let his mind settle.

With Yuki no longer able to handle this problem, it was up to him as her right hand to finish the mess. He had promised Aizen Sousuke to stand by her, but he couldn't do it alone. Ulquiorra seemed to be the answer to his problems! Yet he wouldn't wake up! Szayel Apporo ran his hand through his hair and let out a final sigh, _being upset won't change the outcome…there must be a way…_

He heard a small rustle and looked at the door to see a slip of paper slide into the room from under the door. Curious, he reached for it and recognized it as Soi Fon's handwriting. Hitsugaya seemed to at least make a perfect decision in her. "Master's Call," he whispered off the words on the paper, "Master's call…" he let the words mull around in his head as he set the small scrap on fire, "Master's call….Aizen's call…AH!" a light went off in his brilliant mind as he realized that Soi Fon might be right, "Ulquiorra waits a call to awaken from his master…from Aizen?" Szayel Apporo stared into the tank that held the very much alive espada, "How on Hueco Mundo will I ever get you to hear Yuki's call…"

The Dungeon

Akuma was having a vision. The visions came more and more since the first one she had before finding Enkimura in the human world. She had deciphered that she was seeing through Ulquiorra's eyes. She must have absorbed some of his reiatsu when she submerged her hand into the tank to fortify the water with kidou.

The vision's had progressed out of order and almost randomly. She was walking behind Aizen Sousuke. They were walking down a dark hallway, seemingly into the darkest corner of Las Noches. He finally opened a door and motioned to her (Ulquiorra) to follow. Inside of the room she saw the Hagyoku. It was in its purest form; it had yet to be fused with anyone. It was a color that she didn't know how to explain and it seemed to light the entire room in a brightness that was almost impossible.

Ulquiorra walked toward the hagyoku, she could feel his mind tick at the wonder before him. He outstretched a hand nearly touching the crystal-like surface. There was suddenly a deep green strand of light that pulled from the hagyoku and into him.

Akuma focused on what it was that Ulquiorra was taking from the hagyoku. Perhaps if she only knew; perhaps there was something in these visions that could tell her the way. Maybe there was a part of her that could finish Enkimura.

As the vision faded her breath felt heavy. She had expended too much energy. Her body felt light and weak. If she didn't figure out the mystery of these visions…if she didn't escape from here soon she would die.

The 7th Squad

Hitsugaya was being summoned by Enkimura. He didn't like the idea of having to be in a room alone with that monster.

He pushed open the door and walked into the Captain-Commander's Office, the office that once belonged to Kyourane Chou.

"Ah, Hitsugaya-taicho I'm glad you made it-"

"Cut it Enkimura. Why am I here-" Hitsugaya started boringly.

"IS THAT HOW YOU…" Enkimura scrunched his face and took a few deep breaths, the sudden redness in his face was beginning to fade, "No matter. I want you to tell me where my muse is,"

Hitsugaya sighed and rolled his eyes, "She's probably in Las Noches hiding,"

Enkimura broke into a hardy laugh, "Oh please Torou. You know as well as I that an action as cowardly as that couldn't possibly be done by my muse,"

Hitsugaya glared at the man that dared speak the nickname that Yuki once called him. How insulting, "You're right. It doesn't make sense that she isn't here. Yuki would kill you the moment she had the chance,"

Enkimura grinned, "Exactly, so where is she?"

"How should I know?"

His veins becoming red and pulsing once more he turned to Hitsugaya, "OF COURSE YOU WOULD KNOW!" Enkimura fell to his hands and knees trying to relax his mind.

Hitsugaya stared in shock as he watched the skin on Enkimura's hands burn and tear at the knuckles. _He is dying…_ Hitsugaya took a curious step forward. He wanted to know exactly what was happening to the man he despised.

Enkimura's hand wrapped around his ankle. He felt his own skin beginning to burn and he fell to the ground being consumed by anger.

Enkimura stood up and dusted off his Shinigami uniform. He looked at Hitsugaya writhing on the floor, his veins were red and his eyes were turning black, "I suppose you would like to know what is happening to you…" Hitsugaya was twitching, his jaw was clenched as he held back a scream, "I have given you some of my excess rage…or so it seems. Perhaps," Enkimura leaned close to Hitsugaya, "You will tell me more about where my muse is….that is if you can live through this,"

Hitsugaya closed his eyes and tried to not listen to his words. He just saw the face of Yuki…and how much he loathed her.

_How dare she abandon me…_

_How dare she leave this war to us…_

_How dare she hide and protect herself…_

_How could she let this happen to me?!_

Las Noches: Yuki's Soul Room

Her fight with the Hagyoku seemed to never end. The golden Yuki before her was just as strong as she was. Yuki was losing strength. Her fight was draining her. She needed to recover.

But it wouldn't matter where she ran to…she was sure that the hagyoku would find her. This golden desert seemed to be the home of the hagyoku…where could she hide that the hagyoku might not find her?

She gripped on the hilt of Gilgamesh as she stared at her opponent across the way. _Can I win this fight? Could there ever be an end to this fight? _

The golden Yuki lunged forward and began attacking again.

The hagyoku doesn't grow tired…the hagyoku doesn't need rest…the hagyoku is always at 100%...

Her arms wouldn't move…she watched as the golden Yuki shoved her hand forward. She was going to be impaled. There was no way she could move her arms to prevent this attack…she was going to die. She was going to become a toy to the hagyoku: an empty shell.

"Yuki?"

Her body was suddenly pulled under the sand. She was being pulled further and further down through the sand until she finally stopped. She was in what looked like a library, "Where am I?" she didn't understand. _I was pulled down through the sand into here? A fully furnished study?!_

"Yuki my dear?"

She turned her head to see Aizen Sousuke. She fell to her knees at the sight of him. He had saved her from her fate above. Her mind felt heavy and she felt tears threaten to spill from her eyes, "Aizen-sama," she rubbed her eyes and felt his hand rest on her head. Suddenly she thought she was a child again. The memory flooding her mind. She was just a child at the time in Las Noches. A hollow was fighting with her and she managed to defeat the foe, but as she ran back to Aizen she tripped and skinned her knee against the harsh sand. She rubbed her eyes and held back tears and Aizen had rested his hand on her head to comfort her…just like he was doing now.

"Yuki?"

She sniffed away her tears and looked up at him, "You called?"

He smiled at her fondly before helping her to her feet, "Your fight here is pointless my dear,"

She gawked at him, "Pointless?! But I need to be able to leave Hueco Mundo to kill Enkimura and I-"

"I know, I know. But you cannot beat the hagyoku into submission. You've already noticed yourself. The Hagyoku doesn't grow tired," she nodded, "Where do you think the hagyoku draws its energy from?"

Her jaw dropped as she realized, "From me…"

Aizen nodded, "The hagyoku will continue to draw strength from you until you lose all will to face it. You cannot win,"

She scrunched her face, "How am I to manage this?! How were you able to command it?!"

He sighed, "I had something you don't…Ulquiorra Cifer…"

"Ulquiorra?! But he wasn't even the Primera! What makes him so special?"

Aizen nodded, "Ulquiorra was always special. He was never a soul born through hunger…" Yuki stared up at him confused, "Ulquiorra is a being that was made to stabilize the hagyoku,"

"Stabilize?" the word felt so weak and soft as it fell from her lips, she had lost everything in that moment.

"Urahara was never able to stabilize the hagyoku, that was because souls harbor doubt and questions and emptiness. Ulquiorra was created from the doubt, the questions, and the emptiness from all thousand souls in the hagyoku,"

"But he…he died,"

Aizen nodded, "Yes. And in the moment of his death the hagyoku seized its power and began taking over my body,"

She sighed, "That's great that there is a way…but Ulquiorra is gone! He is dead. He died hundreds of years ago!"

"Yuki," he rested his hand on her shoulders, "Do you really believe that a being created from the soul of the Hagyoku could die so easily?"

The Human World: Mt. Fuji

"What, what, what?" Grimmjow closed the door behind him as the two of them entered the cabin. He stared at the woman companion that he was watching over: Kyourane Chou. The 'dead' King of Soul Society.

She had been left on the streets of Soul Society to die. Enkimura had been too focused on finding Szayel Apporo to care about one dead King's body. It was Grimmjow who scooped up her body and escaped to the Human World with her. Following Szayel Apporo's instructions closely he healed her. He almost regretted healing her; she was an irritating girl.

"I received a message from Szayel!" she turned and gave him a thumbs up.

"What is it?!" he couldn't control his excitement. How desperately he wanted to hear that Yuki was alive. That she had awoken from her sleep.

"He is ready," Chou imitated Szayel Apporo's serious tone.

He let out a heavy sigh and nodded, "I see,"

She brushed her hair that was now down to her shoulders, behind her ear, "Who is ready?"

"Ulquiorra probably,"

"ULQUIORRA?!" she clapped her hands together at the idea, "Woah, Szayel sure is amazing huh?"

"Yup…" Grimmjow shoved his hands into his pocket and walked out of the cabin.

Chou waited for his footsteps to fade from her hearing before letting her body collapse to the floor. Tears streamed down her face without her allowing them to. She pulled the thin ribbon out of her pocket; the small bells that had once filled her with hope filled her now with guilt.

She saw the face of the man, the man whose name she didn't know. She felt overcome with grief. What had made her save his life that day? What had compelled her to jump to her own death to allow his life to continue?

As the tears streamed down her face she only felt worse. This happened every time she was alone. She couldn't cry in front of Grimmjow. He was filled with his own pain. He had told her about Yuki being in a coma. He had no idea if she was even alive. They were cut off from everyone except for the occasional encrypted, brief message from Szayel.

She pulled her body into the small room that was hers. The walls were covered with pictures of the man she saved. She had drawn him every day for two years. The idea of forgetting what he looked like made her terrified. She felt like she had finally found someone worth dying for, someone worth living for. She sat on the floor with her pencil and paper, the tears still streaming down her face. She pictured his face, this time the memory was of when her eyes first locked with his. How stupid had she been to follow Enkimura? To be corrupted by his lies?

The picture came along smoothly, the occasional tears blurring the freshly drawn lines. As she sat the finished portrait on the ground she felt more overwhelmed with tears. She couldn't stop. Her body needed to cry for him. Perhaps he was dead already, maybe he was a slave to Enkimura.

The door to her room slammed open. She knew that Grimmjow was shocked to see her like this, but she wasn't finished crying. She couldn't stop now…her body wouldn't let her.

Grimmjow looked around the room confused, "Nao Shin?"

Chou shot her head up and looked up at Grimmjow, "W-what?"

"These pictures…this is Nao Shin right?"

Her tears suddenly halted she jumped to her feet, "That's his name?!" her heart felt remarkably light.

Grimmjow nodded slowly taking in all of the faces in the room.

Chou repeated the name in her head over and over. What a perfect name for. In fact she couldn't have thought of a better name for him. _Nao Shin…Nao Shin…Nao. _

Grimmjow shook his head coming back to reality, "We have a problem," she turned her head to him, her facing becoming serious, "We will be leaving soon. It's finally time to finish Enkimura. Ulquiorra has awoken,"


	17. Chapter 17

Soul Society: The King's Chambers

When Hitsugaya awoke, there was a chain around his neck. He couldn't remember much because his head felt like it might burst from the pressure. His eyes felt like sand and burnt as he blinked and tears welled. As his body began to relax his memories began to fill his head once more.

Enkimura had filled him with a rage. It seemed to have mostly subsided, but he could still feel the effects. There was a part of him that screamed to kill Yuki for abandoning him. He shook his head, the chains jingling, he didn't want to be angry. He didn't hate Yuki...entirely. He hated her for her actions...but he could never hate the Yuki he remembered. Enkimura must have tied him here; something more important must have drawn the King's attention...but he would come back. He would come and ask him more...he would...infect him again. _How can I ever hope to keep my sanity...Yuki?_

Las Noches

Raiden was sitting in usual chair holding his dear mothers hand. His mind had felt more clouded lately. He had promised to Enkidu, and to himself to save Akuma. To prove to her that he needed her. Yet he had been able to do nothing.

The last he had heard she was in the Human World...but it was all too clear that she had been trapped by Enkimura who was now in control of Soul Society. Raiden squeezed his mother's hand. She was colder than usual today and that worried him.

He hated himself.

There was nothing that he could do. He was supposed to be the successor to the spirit line. He was supposed to take on the name of Aizen. He was supposed to become the bearer of the Hagyoku. Yet he could do nothing when the world seemed in peril. He could do nothing but wait.

Wait for what?

For Enkimura to attack? Would he then take up his sword and fight?

For Yuki to die? Would he rise to her throne at the time of her death?

For Akuma to die? Could he avenge her death?

He held Yuki's hand to his head and held back tears. He didn't want to feel weak anymore. He wanted to save this world, this life that he had. He wanted to show that he deserved Aizen's name...that he wasn't just a figurehead with nothing to offer. If he was going to become the Grand Emperor like his mother, the bearer of the ultimate power, he needed to be able to do that much.

As he stood from his chair he pulled the blanket over Yuki's arms and kissed her gently on the forehead, "Forgive me Okaa-san, I must leave your side to prove my worth...to save those I wish to protect,"

Raiden left the room without looking back. He knew exactly what he needed. Leaving orders with his fraccion he walked out the front gates of Las Noches.

He had been training the past two years. His skills were becoming honed and perfected. He had discovered more and more about himself, about Enkidu, and about his inner beast of a hollow. They all had unique powers that he needed.

The Garrganta's were gone, there was no way to Soul Society...except for his own special way, "Rey de la Tierra" his ressurecion was near maturity. He was covered by his hollow skin, green roots connected his body together. He knelt down to the sand and pushed his hands deep into it. He wasn't sure if this would work, he had only been told about the technique by Enkidu...but there was no time to worry. He had to save Akuma.

Suddenly his whole body was pulled into the sand and Raiden left Las Noches.

Soul Society: The Dungeon

Nao Shin had become empty. His eyes were lifeless and his body refused to move even the slightest of an inch. He was being consumed by his own trance. The image of the woman, the one he learned was Kyourane Chou, being killed over and over again was replaying in his head for eternity. The pain never desensitized, he felt the sadness and the guilt over and over just as the first time he had felt it. The gold ring on his pinky felt so heavy that it threatened to break his finger...not that he could feel it. His physical body was completely cut off from his mind. He was stuck in a never ending loop of torment and-

_**Nao?**_

His entire body was shocked back into reality. His being felt rejuvenated and his eyes had never been sharper. It was the voice. The voice he missed and the voice he had once hated. But now he knew who the voice was.

_Chou!_

_**Is that your name? Nao Shin?**_

He felt tears sting his eyes as they rolled through his hair. _Yes, yes it is. Could it be...could it really be that you-_

_**Are you alive right now...are you dead right now?**_

_No I am alive! Chou please, I am alive!_

_**I am coming for you. I will find you so please...stay alive. Don't lose yourself here...wait for me.**_

He felt his heart race. All his life he had been looking for her and now she was going to save him. She was going to find him and save him from this hell. And he would wait for her. He wouldn't allow himself to lose his chance to see her, to hear her voice in real life and not just in his head. He would be ready.

Rukongai

Szayel Apporo sighed as he paced. He hated waiting. He didn't even know if Ulquiorra would ever wake up. But he knew that he couldn't wait much longer.

Hitusgaya-taicho didn't write him, which meant that he was in danger. Either he was killed, heavily watched, or he was captured. Szayel Apporo bit his thumb in frustration. Enkimura was an idiot for thinking a device as simple at the Kui would be able to contain the force of the Hagyoku. He was seriously underestimating its power. If an idiot like that would think something so stupid then it is likely to think that he might try something else equally as stupid with Hitsugaya-taicho.

Szayel Apporo slammed his fists on the desk. He couldn't fail a second time. His last failure made him lose so many of his comrades...comrades that didn't deserve to die. And now he had new comrades. They were all trusting him to coordinate this coup. They were all awaiting his precise planning and decisions. He couldn't allow his plan to falter as they waited for Ulqiorra. In fact they had already waited too long.

He clenched his fists, he trusted his new comrades. With their combined strength and planned timing...he could do this. Ulquiorrra would have to wait. He didn't have time to sit around...Ulquiorra wouldn't save them...Yuki wouldn't save them. It was up to Szayel Apporo Granz to save these worlds...to protect his precious comrades.

He wrote out the notes, "Alive," was the code word to begin the action. He sent them off and turned to the sleeping Ulquiorra. It was a little white lie, but he trusted his team. If anyone could take out Enkimura...it would be them. He pushed Ulquiorra's container into a closet and closed the door. He grabbed the garrganta jammer and wrapped his zanpaktou around his waist. His time to act was now.

Las Noches: Yuki's Soul- The Inner Study

Aizen Sousuke had long vanished. His last words to her to rebuild her strength and wait for the Hagyoku to take this place. Gilgamesh had tried to comfort her, but she wouldn't listen to him.

As she sat on the floor of the study, she let her mind wander. She felt so lost. She doubted herself. Could she even defeat Enkimura without having control over the Hagyoku? Could she even stay alive once the Hagyoku found her? An image of the Golden Yuki flashed in her mind and she buried her head into her knees.

"Umm...excuse me...Yuki-san?"

She growled not looking up at the man that spoke to her, "Not now Gilgamesh I already told you-" she paused, "Yuki-san?" she jolted her head up to see Enkimura standing in front of her.

She jumped to her feet, grabbing Enkimura's arm and pushing him down to the ground in an instant, "What are you doing here?!" she pushed his arm against his back.

"Ow ow ow ow ow ow ow," tears squeezed out the sides of his eyes and Yuki jumped away from him, realizing that she didn't know the Enkimura that stood before her.

"Who are you?" she stared at the stranger closely.

Enkimura sat up and grinned, "Oh? You noticed already?" the peppy young man jumped to his feet and brushed the dust off of his shinigami uniform, "It's nice to meet you, Yuki-san," he smiled and extended a hand out to her.

Without moving Yuki stared at him firmly, "Who the hell are you?"

Enkimura pouted, "You're meaner than I thought for someone Enkimura would fall for..."

Her patience running thin Yuki threw her arms by her side, "Who are you?!"

Enkimura smiled and bowed, "I am Enkimura's original zanpaktou. I don't remember my name anymore though...or what I look like. So you can just call me Enkimura,"

Yuki couldn't believe it. Something like this didn't make sense. How could another Zanpaktou come into her soul; the deepest part of her soul?! "Gilgamesh...is this real?"

"Oh now you want me around?" Gilgamesh appeared beside her in his lavish blue and gold robes and brushed his hair out of his tan face, "Hmmmm, he seems like a zanpaktou..."

"Ooooh Gilgamesh the King!" Enkimura's eyes got wide, "So you're the one that Evil Ishtar was in love with..."

"You knew Ishtar?" Gilgamesh grinned at the small man that seemed to admire him.

"She stole my master from me..." Enkimura's face fell as he looked away. After a moment he looked once again at Yuki, "I came here for your help,"

"My help? Why would I ever help any part of Enkimura with any-"

"I would like to request you to kill my former master," Enkimura fell to his knees and bowed to Yuki, "Please, you are the only who can stop him now. He has become something that pains me to admit. The only way to save him is to kill him...please...save my master,"

Yuki looked down at him, shocked. She couldn't image the pain this Enkimura had felt. The real Enkimura had thrown him away for Ishtar...he had cast away part of his soul at the seduction of Ishtar's deal. But this zanpaktou believed that Enkimura would come back for him...he believed that Enkimura would want him...but now...now that Enkimura was truly a monster...his zanpaktou only wants peace for him. He wants to save him from that fate...

She clenched her fist, unable to imagine a world in which Gilgamesh wasn't standing beside her, "Stand, pure Enkimura. I will help you, but in return I will need your help,"

Soul Society: Just outside of Seretei

Raiden could not have materialized in a worse spot. His body came through the stone right in front of some of Enkimura's shells. Since he was still in his ressurecion he was able to take care of them without a problem, but he was so far from the heart of Seretei. It took a lot of energy to stay in his ressurecion, but being in it also cut off his reiatsu from escaping his body. No one would be able to sense him like this. He touched the wall and closed his eyes. His Rey de la Tierra was a beast that had control over all of the Earth. He was able to walk through the stone wall without doing any damage to it. He could feel Akuma. She was deep underground...he couldn't wait. Feeling her reiatsu was too euphoric for him to wait any longer to see her. He fell to his knees and pushed his hands through the earth below him and listened to her reiatsu. It was so soft and weak that he worried he might be too late, but then he felt his body be pulled into the ground and it didn't matter anymore.

The Human World: Mt. Fuji

"Come on your highness. Szayel will be opening the garrganta any moment now! We will only have a few seconds to get in," Grimmjow was bouncing on his heels. He was finally going to be able to fight again and his blood was boiling. He had been yearning for a real fight for years.

"I told you not to call me that!" Chou walked out of the cabin with Bakemono strapped to her waist. Her hair was pulled over her right shoulder and held with the small ribbon. Having it close to her made her feel like Nao was right there with her.

Grimmjow grinned as he saw her katana, "So you finally got it back huh?"

Chou looked down fondly at Bakemono. When she was taken by Enkimura, she had lost Bakemono somewhere deep inside her. It wasn't until she heard Nao Shin's name that her soul finally felt whole again and Bakemono appeared once more.

A large garrganta began to take shape and the two soldiers looked at each other.

Grimmjow stretched out his fist, "Make it out alive huh?"

Chou met his fist with her own and grinned, "Wouldn't have it any other way,"

Soul Society: The King's Chamber

Hitsugaya wasn't able to see outside. He heard the alarms go off one after another. First it was the alarm that Szayel Apporo was found, then it was the alarm of a garrganta being formed, then the alarms went off so fast that he couldn't make out which one was which anymore.

The coup was beginning...without him. This was supposed to be his redeeming moment and yet...and yet...

* * *

Enkimura was running. He was being chased by his loyal shinigami. A bomb had gone off right at the gate of seretei. Then a barrier was made around seretei and several garrganta were opening letting hollow flow into the city. Yet the hollow were being commanded...they only attacked Enkimura's shells. Enkimura bit his lip, _Szayel Apporo..._Enkimura had known that a pest like that didn't run to Hueco Mundo.

"ENKIMURA!" Soi Fon pinned him to the ground and stabbed with Suzumebachi in the chest, "You will pay for what you did to the Shihoi-"

Enkimura set one of his fingers on her arm and she fell to her side, succumbing to his influence. He quickly set off in a run. The effects wouldn't last long and he needed to make it to his room. He had to get a hostage with value...

Enkimura slammed open the door to his room to see that the chains that had held Hitsugaya were undone...the window opened. His rage building he slammed his fist through the wall, "HITSUGAYA!"

* * *

"Phew that was a close one huh?" Renji gave him a thumbs up as they ran to Szayel Apporo.

"Yea, I owe you one Renji," Hitsugaya couldn't believe he was actually indebted to Renji, a man he once loathed.

"Oi!" Renji waved to Szayel Apporo as he came into view.

Hitsugaya grabbed his arm, suddenly stopping him.

"Hitsugaya-taicho?" Renji looked confused.

"T-the King..." his head was looking straight up at where the moon was.

Renji looked up and smiled widely. The pieces were finally starting to come together. The coup was beginning. Renji brushed his hair out of his face and grinned, _Yuki, when you come back I can't wait to tell you everything that you've missed. _


	18. Chapter 18

**Oh my is this an overdue update...ehem. I apologize in advance as this chapter may feel strange to read. I wrote parts of it several weeks ago and finished it up recently so it may feel a little jumbled but do not worry as it will make sense. As the story reaches it's gripping finale (we have a few more chapters but still) I want to thank all those readers that have waited patiently for that fateful day to come! **

**Anyways, enough from me and enjoy the late update (another one is already in the works and I will get it to you asap)**

* * *

Soul Society: The Gates of Seretei

"What do you mean Ulquiorra isn't awake?!" it was Kyourane Chou that asked the question that was on everyone's mind. Renji, Hitsugaya, and Grimmjow stood beside her in front of Szayel Apporo. Hitsugaya was surprised to see her alive, but he realized that questions like that were best left for after Enkimura was dead.

"Trust me!" Szayel Apporo pleaded, "If all of you strike at the precise moment…I mean…If we just have the right timing then everything could-"

Grimmjow grabbed Szayel Apporo by his collar and yanked him closer, "What about Yuki?!" Grimmjow had kept his patience as long as he could but his mind was consumed with her. Where was she?

"I…she is …well," Szayel's eyes shifted to Hitsugaya. If he were to find out that Yuki were actually in a coma…would he falter in his resolve?

"It seems you don't know the mother of your child very well," Hitsugaya glared at Grimmjow with his arms crossed.

"Excuse me?!" Grimmjow tossed Szayel aside and stood in front of Hitsugaya, "What did you say?"

"Yuki abandoned us! She isn't coming back!" Hitsugaya stared Grimmjow in the eyes.

His anger becoming dangerous, Grimmjow punched Hitsugaya right in the cheek; his body falling to the ground from the impact, "How dare you speak of her like that! Who do you think you are?! Yuki could be dy-"

"Grimmjow!" Chou's voice cut him off and he sighed as he walked away from the group. Chou sighed, "I'm sorry about that Szayel. If you think we can win this then we can. We just need your direction,"

Szayel Apporo nodded, "I have several hollow taking out the shells for now. They should be able to take out the majority of them. Soi Fon-taicho was chasing after Enkimura earlier so-"

"Sh-Shihoin-sama!" Soi Fon ran up to Chou and fell to her knees, the pure emotion taking over her as she realized that Chou had survived, "My King I-"

Chou grabbed her hands and pulled her to her feet and smiled brightly, "Let's defeat Enkimura first hmm?"

Soi Fon nodded and turned to Szayel Apporo with a serious look on her face, "There is some type of power that he has that we didn't know about. He touched me and suddenly I was on the ground with a splitting pain in my head and I was…angry,"

Hitsugaya nodded, "He did the same to me. While the effects seem to be temporary, he is able to transfer some of his anger to other only through touch. It also seems like his body is deteriorating. I'm worried that now the Garrganta's are open, he will try to escape to Las Noches or even the human world again,"

"If he is deteriorating as you say, then he will most likely go after Yuki as a last resort to live," Szayel nodded slowly.

"Raiden is still in Las Noches to protect Yuki isn't he?" Soi Fon asked quietly to herself, but Hitsugaya heard.

"Protect Yuki? Why would he need to do that?" Hitsugaya watched as the faces around him looked to the ground, "Is there something I don't know?!"

Chou sighed deeply, "Yuki is in a deep sleep. She has been asleep for the past two years,"

Hitsugaya felt all the pieces click together in his head. They didn't tell him because they worried he wouldn't be able to handle it. His emotions might get the better of him. He clenched his fist. These people didn't trust him. He was the one that had loved Yuki, he was the one who wanted to save her more than anyone, and it was Hitsugaya who had the resolve to let her go. Yet none of the soldiers around him felt that he was sane enough to handle the news. They would rather have him begin to loathe Yuki rather than know the truth, "Fine. If you don't trust me…then I'll finish Enkimura by myself," with that Hitsugaya shunpo'd away.

Szayel Apporo sighed, he had half expected Hitsugaya to abandon the group if he found out the truth…but he couldn't falter now. His careful planning was more critical than ever, "So here is the plan…"

The Dungeon

Akuma could barely feel the commotion above. A battle was starting. For the first time in several months she tried to pull free from the chains. She wanted to join the battle. She wanted to fight alongside her comrades. She wanted to make Enkimura pay for all of the horrible things he had done. She wanted make a place in this world for herself. Being in this dungeon she realized that she wanted to live. She didn't care about where she came from or how much time she had left. She wanted to fight. She wanted to live the life she had. She wanted to stand beside Raiden. Akuma felt a tear slide down her face as she thought of him. She wondered if his feelings for her were the same. She hoped that he might still be waiting for her.

Suddenly another vision began to play in her head. It was the strongest they had ever been. This time she wasn't looking through Ulquiorra's eyes, but she was watching from the sky. She was merely a pair of eyes without body or shape.

Aizen and Ulquiorra were walking through the hall. For the first time she could hear what Aizen said.

"You must stand beside Yuki," Aizen's voice was low and cautious as the two walked with light steps, "Although I have been beside you all this time, it is Yuki that will carry out my legacy,"

"But Aizen-sama, she is nothing in comparison to you. Why would you allow yourself to die so that someone inferior could replace you?" Ulquiorra's voice was cold and monotone.

"You don't understand Ulquiorra," he shook his head and turned to face him, "Minji Yuki was the last piece of the plan I was looking for. Immortality is not through the body but through the reiatsu. The power that I now hold will live through my child and her child to come. Thus the spirit line will be my immortal life,"

"Why should I follow someone like her?"

"Because she will hold the hagyoku, and it is your duty to stay beside the hagyoku," Aizen began to walk again, "Only you, Ulquiorra, can control it,"

"**Akuma!**"

Akuma strained her eyes to see in the pitch black. She heard his voice, _Raiden. _Could it really be him? Her blood was pushing through her body and her soul felt more alive than ever. _Why is this dungeon so dark?! _She hastily made a kidou and felt her body tense as she saw him. He was in his ressurecion, something she had never seen before. He was covered in the hollow shell with root-like shapes surrounding his body. She thought the roots might start from his spine and cover his body in the front. His face was visible although the green bar above his eye brow was now extended to just below his eye and stretched into his hair line.

At the sight of the person she hoped to see most, she was pulled back into her memories. To the day she had been captured by Enkimura.

Two Years Ago: Human World- Okinawa

"Enkimura!" Akuma lunged forward, it had been a long time since she had used so much spirit energy. Having Neuth and Gebeb out was more taxing then she had remembered. She fired off kidou with her right arm and hoped for an opening to strike with the dagger in her left, but Enkimura had no openings. He was more powerful and more frightening then she remembered. He was fighting her without his zanpaktou. His skin wouldn't cut or break beneath her blows and no matter how fast she shunpo'd around him, his eyes were staring at her without fail.

"NAO!" she called out to the stunned man that stood behind her. He hadn't moved since Kyourane had been taken away, and she feared that without his help she would die.

Suddenly Enkimura's arm was wrapped around her neck. Her arms fell to her side and her body twitched as Enkimura's power flowed through her. Her skin felt hot and she felt her blood begin to boil. She didn't understand what was happening, she didn't understand that she had entered into Enkimura's world. For a moment she swore she was looking through his eyes. She could see her body hanging in his hand.

She was suddenly stripped away from him with a speed she couldn't process. Even though Enkimura was no longer touching her, his effect remained. She looked up to see it was Nao Shin that had saved her. He was covered in the white hollow skin of his ressurecion. The skin formed wave shapes that rolled up his body and over his face and head that made a large point at the front of his face, "Nao?"

He set her down on the ground and kept his gaze fixed on Enkimura, "Don't worry. We will escape we will be able to -"

"YUKI!" Enkimura suddenly fell to his knees, his eyes locked on Nao Shin.

As Akuma came more and more out of the trance from Enkimura she noticed that the large point in front of Nao's face was glowing slightly, "What's happening?"

"My Pescador creates illusions. To Enkimura I look like the Empress. It's not something to fight with but we can escape and-"

"No! Nao! Change! Don't be Yuki don't be!" Akuma pulled her body across the ground in fear, Nao didn't understand. Enkimura didn't fear Yuki, they wouldn't escape...Enkimura would-

Suddenly Enkimura's hand ripped through Nao's stomach and Akuma watched as Enkimura had triumphed over the illusion. His eyes were wide and filled with tears. To him, he had gained the hagyoku. Yuki belonged to him...and yet...as Enkimura looked into his hand and saw only blood, he realized.

Enkimura fell to the ground, his rage growing at a rate he could not control. His eyes turned red and fixed on Akuma, "WHERE IS SHE?!" suddenly he grabbed Akuma by the head and slammed her into the ground.

* * *

Present

He was her knight in shining armor, "Raiden!" she felt tears well in her eyes.

"Akuma!" he quickly broke the chains that held her and she quickly jumped into his arms as he brought them both to the ground.

"Raiden I…I'm so- I don't know what to say…I just…" her arms were wrapped tightly around his waist and she held her face close to his chest.

Raiden understood. Her two years here had taken a toll on her, but she realized who she was. And that was enough, "Akuma?"

She looked up at him. Her bright blue eyes pierced his soul in a way he couldn't describe, "I think there is a war going on up there. Shall we join in?" he rested a hand tenderly atop her head.

She smiled up at him and nodded, "I need to speak to Yuki first. I know how she can control the Hagyoku,"

Raiden's eyes widened as he realized that Akuma must have never learned, "Yuki is…she is in a coma…she's been fighting the hagyoku for two years,"

"Well then I have to see her now! Ulquiorra has the power to stabilize the hagyoku!"

"Ulquiorra?"

She nodded, "Szayel Apporo has been regenerating him and-"

"That has to wait," Raiden looked at her with a serious face, "We have to defeat Enkimura first. Or else he will go after sensei,"

Akuma nodded, "How do we get out of here?"

Raiden grinned, "Hold on tight," the roots on his body moved and wrapped around her as well. She looked down and saw that more white roots were growing into the ground below them and then they were pulled into the ground.

Seretei

Chou had to hurry. She knew that her part of the mission was going to start soon, but she had another priority. She had to save Nao Shin. She knew he would be here. She could almost feel him somewhere deep below her. _The Dungeons. _She set into a run, not even giving the several shells around her the time of day. She didn't care about them. After she saved Nao, then she would fight for her home. But he was more important. Not even her kingdom was more important than him at this moment.

She slammed open the door and began to run down the endless stairs. She had never been to the dungeon before but her feet moved on their own. Her chest was tight as she knew she was getting closer and closer to his cell. She knew, she knew without a doubt in her mind that she would find him hanging in one of those cells. She could feel the fire in her chest at the prospect of finally meeting him. Finally hearing his voice. She ran through the hall, knowing he was in the last cell to the left. Unable to wait , she shunpo'd to the end of the hall and kicked the door down, "Nao Shin!" the words flew from her mouth before she could stop herself. The cell was pitch black so she lit a bright kidou and saw him. He was hanging by his ankles, his sea foam green hair had grown longer in the past two years. She quickly cut his chains and brought him out in the hall. They didn't speak for a long time. It was an overwhelming moment to have your soul feel perfectly aligned for the first time.

* * *

Nao was lost for words. It took most of his energy to not start crying at the sight of her. Something was coming over him in a way he couldn't understand. Everything about him was making sense as he looked at her. The ribbon in her hair, the way she said his name…it was all surreal.

Chou realized that the two technically didn't know each other. All overwhelming feelings aside, they were strangers, "You are Nao Shin yes?" the question felt awkward coming off of her lips. Of course he was Nao Shin, there was no one else he could be.

He nodded, "And you're Kyourane Chou, the King," he couldn't help but smile.

She grinned, "That's right. Tell me Nao," _Nao, _"Can you fight?"

He stood at the sound of his name and a purpose, "The question is Chou,"_Chou, _"Can you keep up?"

The First Squad

Hitsugaya ran through the hall, his mind focused on Enkimura. If only he could defeat him, he thought, if only Enkimura could die before his hands. Hitsugaya kept Yuki from his mind. He had lost her long ago and it was time he fully accepted his fate. He didn't need to worry anymore about the Yuki that he once knew. She had died long ago, in fact it was he that had killed her.

_**Master...**_

_Not now Hyorinmaru._

_**But Master I must insist that you listen. I fear that you will not strong enough to defeat that man on your own.**_

_Of course I'm not..._

_**Then why do you run to kill him?**_

_I-_

_**Do you wish to be a martyr? Do you hope perhaps for recognition from her?**_

Hitsugaya stopped running. Was that why he was here? Did he really strive so desperately for her word...if he couldn't have her love, could he have her approval?

_**Why do you fight without reason?**_

_What would you have of me? See the death of all those around me?_

_**You must fight with a purpose master. Do you fight to save this world, or do you fight for her approval?**_

Hitsugaya clenched his fist. How could he have been so clueless? How could he let himself live with the wrong ideals? Hyorinmaru was right. It wasn't about Yuki, it was about his home. It was about his life here. It was about the world.

And Enkimura would die, not by his hand, but by the hand of the world.

* * *

_What is happening in the world outside of this tube? What could be happening outside of this world I have been left in. It feels as though all of the answers are outside of this thin barrier. All of my memories, all of the answers to my question and my dreams. _

_But there is something I am missing._

_What am I waiting for?_

_My mind and body are itching to leave this place. I feel as though I am needed at this moment. As though perhaps outside of these walls everything depends on me. But why can't I move?_

_Why can't I seek the answers to those questions? _

_Is there something more I am missing? Could I be wrong, am I not needed?_

_Who am I?_

_Perhaps that is the answer. If only I knew my name...if only someone could tell me my name...if only someone would call out to me: shock my body out of this tube. If only I could-_

_**"Ulquiorra Cifer!"**_

At that moment his eyes opened. The piercing green eyes opened and broke through the glass in front of him. His memories found him and he knew where he was needed.


	19. Chapter 19

Soul Society

"YUKI!" Enkimura fell to the floor and his body jolted. What awful timing; his rule was breaking, his armies were fighting, and he was dying. He looked at his arms to see that they were burning from the inside out. His blood was burning right through his skin. It was in these moments that he knew he needed Yuki more than ever. If he could contain his power somehow, if he could just take her power...

"ENKIMURA!"

He pulled his decaying body up from the ground and saw Shima Akuma outside his window. He wanted nothing more than to simply kill off such a frustrating woman.

"Enkimura get out here!" her sword was not drawn, she was full of openings. Yet Enkimura hesitated. _Could this be a trap? Could she be trying to lure me out from this safe place? _He briefly thought back to Murin, the only person who was truly his ally...and how he had killed him. Enkimura hadn't meant to do it. He saw the image flash back in his head, he reached out a hand to Murin, about to ask him to come to Soul Society with him. Yet when Murin took his hand...Ishtar pushed power out and Murin was consumed by rage and died as his body burnt through itself. At the time, Enkimura shrugged off the incident. He couldn't let Ishtar win; he couldn't show her that he felt pain at the death of Murin. But now...why would he think of him now?

"What is it you want?!" Enkimura took several deep breaths, he would prolong his life. He would live long enough to take Yuki's power away. He wouldn't let Murin's death be in vein. He jumped from his window and stood across from Akuma in the sky, his eyes peeled in case of an ambush.

"Step down," her words were cold and harsh. Enkimura noticed that she did not want to fight against him. She doubted her strength.

"Give me Yuki and I will disappear," he grinned as he brushed the hair out of his face, "Or fight me,"

Akuma's eyes held onto his, "You can't think that you stand a chance against me. I'm giving you a chance to surrender instead of die,"

"That's a lot of talk coming from someone who spent two years in a prison," Enkimura growled.

"Last chance Enkimura," her hand now rested on the hilt of her sword, "Stand Down,"

Enkimura scoffed and cross his arms, "Make me,"

From out of the corner of his eye, Enkimura barely caught a glimpse of Grimmjow's fist before it crashed into his jaw. The force was enough to shatter the building behind him, yet Enkimura didn't move.

"Grimmjow NO!" Akuma lunged forward but was too late. Grimmjow's fist started to turn red as Enkimura's rage passed into him.

He tried to pull away but Enkimura grabbed his wrist, "Oooh," his eyes grew wide with hunger, "You are just perfect for this aren't you?"

"Ahhh!" Grimmjow fell to his knees as his veins pushed from his body and glowed a sick red.

"Grimmjow!" Akuma drew her sword and jumped forward to attack Enkimura, but her blade met with Grimmjow's. His eyes were pitch black and he heaved in for breath as his body twitched, "Grimmjow?"

Enkimura smiled widely, "He's mine now. It seems like his soul was the perfect match for rage. I don't even need to eat him to control him. Kill her,"

Grimmjow's face turned into a grin as he pushed down against her blade. He was no longer Grimmjow, he was a hollow...a starved hollow.

"Akuma!" Hitsugaya covered Grimmjow in a sheet of ice and jumped between her and the frozen Grimmjow, "I'll take care of him. You go after Enkimura,"

"Hitsugaya?" Akuma couldn't believe that he would stay and fight Grimmjow. It would make more sense that he would fight Enkimu-

"GO!" he turned to face her, his face calm yet stern, "I'll fight Grimmjow. He and I have some unfinished business to attend to anyways,"

Akuma nodded and jumped further above them to Enkimura. _**Can you handle this? Your first fight out here and you chose the boss?**_

_You will fight beside me won't you, Neuth, Gebeb?_

_**If you so wish to call upon us- IT'S ABOUT FRIGGIN TIME WE GET TO FIGHT!**_

"Become one, Neuth, Gebeb!"

* * *

"What is she doing?!" Szayel Apporo sighed as he watched Akuma begin a frontal assault on Enkimura, "What is that crazy woman thinking now-"

"Szayel Apporo!"

He gawked at the person running toward him, "RAIDEN?! What are you doing here? What about Yuki?!"

Raiden nodded, "There was no change when I left...but I had to come,"

Szayel Apporo sighed and pinched the part of his nose between his eyes, "I suppose if we defeat Enkimura everything will work out but-"

"Why is Grimmjow fighting with Hitsugaya?!" Raiden look up in awe as Grimmjow broke out from his ice block and the two were immediately drawn into battle.

"That is a good question...in any case it seems that Grimmjow won't be able to help..."

"Szayel!" Kyourane Chou was suddenly at his side, startling the pink espada, "I have Nao Shin with me,"

"Nao Shin?!" Raiden looked surprised to see the rookie espada, "I thought you were dead,"

Nao Shin smiled weakly, "So did I, but Chou saved me-"

"Chou?" Raiden and Szayel questioned simultaneously as they looked from Nao to Chou.

After a moment of silence Szayel coughed, "Very well, the plan is the same with a few changes. I suggest someone go help Hitsugaya-taicho contain Grimmjow. The others need to help surround Enkimura and weaken him as a team. Abarai should already be in place to fire his bone cannon,"

"I'll fight Grimmjow," Chou suggested, "With Bakemono's ability I should be able to hold him until he calms do-"

"I think you should be able to do that to Enkimura as well," Szayel interrupted, "If you trap him inside of one of Bakemono's spheres not only will you hurt him psychologically, but you will be able to give Abarai a still target. Nao's ability will be best suited to distract Grimmjow..."

* * *

Nao couldn't help but stare at Chou. He was paying attention, but his eyes wanted to look at her for just a little longer. Her eyes seemed so focused and ready, her face was rigid yet it felt soft and-

"...Nao?"

He suddenly realized that everyone was gone and the Chou he thought he was looking was gone already. He felt his ears get hot as he faced Szayel Apporo, "Right," with that he sunpo'd away to assist in fighting against Grimmjow.

* * *

Akuma took her dagger and pushed it deep into Enkimura's thigh as he screamed out in pain she shot a kidou through the tip of the dagger gauging the wound before jumping back. He fell down and screamed as blood gushed from his leg. Akuma knew she couldn't waste time and got ready to fire several kidou when she was suddenly surrounded by a barrier that she recognized.

"SHOCK!"

Akuma was suddenly peirced from all directions with electricity from Enkimura's zanpaktou, Ishtar. The attack lasted for far longer than Akuma could have prepared for as her body fell from the sky in a cloud of smoke. Enkimura tended to his leg when Ishtar crumbled in his hand, the only thing that remained was the deep purple hilt.

"ABSORB BAKEMONO!" as soon as Chou saw that she was in range, she called her attack. With Enkimura open from all angles he was caught. Chou had captured Enkimura in her sphere. Chou quickly fell to knees and brought her hands to her temples. Her power had become more and more powerful over time, yet Enkimura was the strongest that she had ever tried to hold besides Yuki.

"Akuma!" Raiden caught Akuma from her fall and set her gently down on the ground, "Akuma?"

Her breathing was faint but her zanpaktou was still intact and connected to her arms, but she was hurt. Her body was in shambles from Enkimura's electric attack. "Chou! I will heal Akuma the best I can. Hold Enkimura for as long as possible!"

Chou sighed, _what do you think I'm doing babysitting?_

* * *

Renji was in position, his bankai out and aimed at the black sphere that was now holding Enkimura. His arms were shaking as he waited, _could this actually work? Could the Bone Cannon really harm Enkimura...maybe even defeat him with the proper timing? _The image of his former captain flashed in his head and he clenched his fist as he thought of him, _Byakyuya-taicho..._Renji resented the way his captain left. It had been Renji's goal to defeat his captain and take his rank as a sign of surpassing him...but Byakyuya had left and Renji couldn't believe that he was truly ready to be captain. He couldn't look at his squad without feeling like a fraud of a captain, but this was his chance. Once Enkimura finally fell, he could fix Soul Society. Once Yuki woke up they would all finish fixing these worlds.

Renji clenched his fist, the future depended on this moment on his-

There was a large bang as Soi Fon-taicho slammed her bankai into the ground next to him.

"Soi Fon-taicho, what are you-"

"I'm helping you. The harder we hit him the better chance we have of defeating him. Don't tell me you thought you were going to do this alone?"

Renji's face got red as he turned away from her, "Of course not..."

Inside the Sphere

Enkimura looked into a mirror to see that he had two faces. There was the face that he was currently living, the one filled with Yammamoto Genryuusai's rage, and there was the face of Shirou Enkimura the man that fell innocently in love with Minji Yuki. The old Enkimura was crying, his face was falling off.

"Enkimura?"

As he turned around he was blinded by the bright sunlight; the old Enkimura was the man he was now, he felt no rage. A shape was cut out in the sun, but he couldn't make out who it was.

"Enkimura?"

As she came closer he saw that it was her, his muse; Minji Yuki. She came toward him with her arms stretched out to embrace him. He felt tears fall down his face as he too opened his arms to accept her. His body felt overwhelmed with a sense of happiness. He felt as though this was the moment he was always wanting to have; that the moment she fell into his arms he could finally feel- her face twisted in pain as the sword pierced through her stomach, the tip facing Enkimura. She fell to the ground and Enkimura caught her and brushed the hair out of her face, his own tears spilling over. She looked up at him with weak eyes and turned into sand that fell between his arms.

He looked up to see that her killer was the Enkimura of the present, the Enkimura that knew nothing but rage and hunger. Suddenly he was looking through the eyes of the present Enkimura, he pushed aside the old Enkimura and searched desperately through the dust that was once his muse; yet it wasn't there. The Hagyoku wasn't there-

"Enkimura?"

He turned around to see Yuki again. Yet she stood before the Old Enkimura as a shinigami. It was as if he was back in the past when she escorted him around the seventh squad-

"Are you listening to me? I told you that you needed to focus on your meditation," her voice was silky smooth and the way her eyes smiled at him made his naive heart melt.

"Meditate?"

"In order to truly master your soul, you must listen to it first," she closed her eyes and sat still. The wind blew her hair out from her pony tail, but she didn't seem to notice. She was focused on the-

They were falling. Yuki was falling, her face staring up at him as he fell slightly above her. The rain was pouring down from the sky, only pushing their bodies faster to the ground. Yuki was blood soaked. Her face that seemed so calm only moments ago was beaten and hurt. He knew it had been him that made her like that. His hunger had pushed him to try and steal everything from her. Even still, Yuki outstretched her hand to him, her battered and bloodied hand. She reached out to him one last time before she hit the unforgiving ground below.

"Enkimura, what are you doing here?"

He turned around and was once again in the body of old Enkimura. Yuki was sitting on her throne in Las Noches, yet her smile was as bright as ever as he walked toward her.

"I thought you were supposed to help Chou with something..."

"I wanted to see you," the words escaped him as if he had no control over them.

She turned away and hid her red face, "You couldn't have waited until the meeting?"

He took a step forward but the world was suddenly on fire. Yuki was nailed to her throne, he looked down to see the hammer in his hand. She screamed as the flames licked at her legs. Yuki looked at him with pained eyes, eyes that could do nothing but wait for death.

"Enkimura?"

She was happy.

She was dying.

"Enkimura,"

She smiled at him.

She was in pain because of him.

"Enkiiiimura?"

She loved him.

She was torn to shreds by him.

"Enkimura?"

He fell to his knees and held his head as the image swirled around him. His emotions were unable to cope with her love and death. He felt tears sting as they rolled down his face. His body was pulsing with the anger trying to escape. He didn't want to look. If he looked out at the Yuki before him he would...he would...

He screamed into his own chest a held on to the Kui that was sitting in his pocket. His power was threatening to destroy him. He could hear Ishtar screaming as her body melted into the earth. He could hear all of the Yuki's calling out to him and screaming as they died. The chaos in his head felt unbearable. In a last resort effort to live through this moment he grabbed the Kui and slammed it into his heart over and over again. Blood was pouring out from his chest, but if this didn't work he would likely die anyway. He pushed it deeper and deeper into his chest until he reached his heart. The Kui burrowed into his heart and he screamed as his blood rushed through his body. Tears rolled down his face as he fell on his back and was forced to once again see Yuki smile at him. And then there was a shock wave.

And everything went white.

Outside of the Sphere

Chou was focused, she needed to stay still. She couldn't let herself-

The shock wave hit as she fell to her knees with her eyes wide open in fear. Enkimura was somehow preventing her images from reaching him. His power was rising. She screamed as the stress on her mind was growing.

"Chou!" Nao Shin wasted no time to find his place next to her. She was screaming but kept her gaze fixated on the sphere, "Raiden is Akuma ready?!" he yelled out in a panic.

"NO! I need more time!" Raiden was doing everything he could to heal her wounds, but his kidou was weak and slow.

Nao grunted in frustration. He knew that Chou was at her limits, she couldn't hold him off for much longer and without Akuma, they didn't have someone who could handle him head on. Nao put his hand on Chou's shoulder and tried to focus on her reiatsu. He didn't know if he could do anything, but if he could somehow give her strength he could buy them time. _Chou...let me in...let me help you. _He hear the faint jingle of the bells on her ribbon and knew exactly what home meant. Chou stopped screaming as the two matched their reiatsu's.

Akuma's Soul Room

"Why even bring her here?"

Akuma recognized the voice of Gebeb without needing to open her eyes.

"She needs us and you know that,"

She barely saw through the cracks of her eyes to see Neuth leaning against the wall with her arms crossed. Her long thin pony tail of silver hair was pulled tight and fell across her left shoulder. Her eyes were closed and her face was covered with a cloth from the bottom of her eyes all the way to her chin. Neuth was her right arm of her zanpaktou, the kidou enhancer with defense. As she sat up she saw Gebeb sitting on a perch. His silver hair laid loosely on his head and his eyes were fixed on her, the left eye a piercing green color while the other eye matched his hair. Gebeb was her left hand, the dagger that stored up left over energy, much like the ability of the Devil's Finger on Shikyaku.

"Why am I here?" she turned to Neuth who opened her eyes, the right one was that same green while the left was the same silver.

"It's time for you to understand-"

"Do we have to tell her?" Gebeb interrupted to protest.

Neuth merely glared at Gebeb before continuing, "You must learn, Gebeb," the boy suddenly vanished and she now stood with a dagger, "Prepare yourself," Neuth lunged forward and began attacking.

Akuma jumped to her feet and desperately avoided the attacks, "Wait stop!" she grabbed Neuth by the wrist, "Why are you doing this?" She saw a look of pain in Neuth's eyes as she pulled her wrist back and began her attack again.

Akuma couldn't keep up. She was nicked once, twice by the blade and lost her footing. She could only watch as Neuth lunged forward and pushed the dagger deep into the middle of her chest.


End file.
